The relationship between shift work pattern and thyroid stimulating hormone in female workers

Background

Shift work is known to cause changes in the circadian rhythm of the human body and adversely affect not only physical health but also mental health. Some studies have demonstrated the correlation between shift work and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), a hormone that changes according to the diurnal rhythm, but few studies have reported the different TSH levels according to the shift work type. This study aimed to investigate changes in TSH according to the shift work type.

Methods

This study included 1,318 female workers who had a medical checkup at a university hospital in Changwon from 2015 to 2019. Shift work types were classified as non-shift work, regular 2 shifts, and irregular three shifts, and a TSH ≥ 4.2 mIU/L was defined as abnormal. A general linear model (GLM) was used to compare the TSH levels and the risk of subclinical hypothyroidism in each year, and a binary logistic analysis was performed using a generalized estimation equation (GEE) to compare the risk of subclinical hypothyroidism over the 5-year period.

Results

Of the 1,318 participants included in this study, 363, 711, and 244 were non-shift, two-shift, and irregular three-shift workers, respectively. In the GEE analysis, after adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking, and alcohol consumption, the odds ratios (ORs) were 1.81 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15-2.86; p = 0.011) in 2 shifts and 2.02 (95% CI: 1.23-3.32; p = 0.006) in irregular three shifts, compared to non-shift.

Conclusions

Our results showed that shift work had a higher risk of subclinical hypothyroidism than non-shift work and that there was a significant difference in the risk of subclinical hypothyroidism according to the shift work type. These findings suggest that the shift work type can be considered in future thyroid function tests and evaluations.

Association between split shift work and work-related injury and disease absence

Background

Shift work (particularly split shifts) has been noted among the working conditions that hinder sustainable work. However, little is known regarding the effects of split shifts on health. This study aimed to investigate the association between split shift work and work-related injury and disease absence.

Methods

This study used data from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey and included 4,042 paid shift workers. Shift work type and self-reported work-related injury and disease absence were investigated using a questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between split shift work and work-related absence with rotating shift worker as the reference group.

Results

Of the 4,042 shift workers, 980 (24.3%) were split shift workers. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of split shift for absence due to work-related injury was high at 2.94 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.85-4.68) and the aOR of split shift for absence due to work-related disease was also high at 1.58 (95% CI: 1.09-2.29) compared to rotating shift.

Conclusions

Split shift work leads to an increased risk of absences due to work-related injury and disease.

Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders

The circadian system regulates the timing and expression of nearly all biological processes, most notably, the sleep-wake cycle, and disruption of this system can result in adverse effects on both physical and mental health. The circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders (CRSWDs) consist of 5 disorders that are due primarily to pathology of the circadian clock or to a misalignment of the timing of the endogenous circadian rhythm with the environment. This article outlines the nature of these disorders, the association of many of these disorders with psychiatric illness, and available treatment options.