The relationship between shift work and Framingham risk score: A five-year prospective cohort study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Cardiovascular Epidemiology
• Industrial Hygiene

Background:

• Limited research exists on the link between shift work (SW) and cardiovascular risk, specifically the Framingham Risk Score (FRS).
• Understanding this relationship is crucial for public health initiatives targeting at-risk populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively examine the association between shift work (SW) and the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) in male industrial workers.
• To investigate the impact of different shift work schedules on cardiovascular disease risk.

Main Methods:

• A five-year prospective cohort study was conducted among 1626 male workers at Esfahan's Mobarakeh Steel Company (EMSC), Iran.
• Stratified random sampling was used to recruit participants.
• Multilevel modeling was employed to analyze the association between SW and FRS, controlling for confounding variables.

Main Results:

• The study included 1626 male workers with a mean age of 40.0 ± 6.2 years.
• Participants were categorized into day workers (40.01%), weekly rotating shift workers (11.3%), and routinely rotating shift workers (48.6%).
• After adjusting for confounding factors, no statistically significant association was found between shift work and the Framingham Risk Score.

Conclusions:

• This prospective cohort study did not reveal a significant relationship between shift work and the Framingham Risk Score in the studied male industrial workforce.
• Further research may be needed to explore potential long-term cardiovascular implications of shift work.