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Nightshift work and fracture risk: the Nurses' Health Study
D Feskanich1, S E Hankinson, E S Schernhammer
1Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. diane.feskanich@channing.harvard.edu
Summary
Long-term nightshift work is linked to a higher risk of hip and wrist fractures in postmenopausal women. This study suggests night shifts may negatively impact bone health, contributing to fracture risk.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Bone Health
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Nightshift work is known to suppress melatonin and is linked to various diseases.
- Previous research has not examined the effect of night work on osteoporotic fractures.
- Bone health is sensitive to sex steroid exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between nightshift work and hip and wrist fractures.
- To evaluate the impact of long-term rotating night shifts on bone health in postmenopausal women.
Main Methods:
- The study utilized data from the Nurses' Health Study, including 38,062 postmenopausal women.
- Participants reported years of rotating nightshift work.
- Incident hip and wrist fractures were tracked from 1988 to 2000, with multivariate relative risks calculated.
Main Results:
- Over 8 years of follow-up, 20+ years of nightshift work was associated with a 37% increased risk of hip and wrist fractures.
- The risk was significantly higher in women with lower BMI who did not use hormone replacement therapy.
- The elevated risk was not apparent after 12 years of follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Prolonged rotating nightshift work may increase the risk of hip and wrist fractures.
- This finding adds to the list of health issues associated with shift work.
- The potential for unexplained confounding factors cannot be excluded.
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