Cardiovascular risk factors in 101 night shift and day workers in industry. A cross-sectional study

Marit Skogstad; Sarah Alsaedi; Per Anton Sirnes; Asgeir Mamen; Øivind Skare; Elisabeth Goffeng; Lars Ole Goffeng; Dagfinn Matre; Hans Christian Dalsbotten Aass; Erika Zardin Brinchmann

doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000003703

Cardiovascular risk factors in 101 night shift and day workers in industry. A cross-sectional study

J Occup Environ Med. 2026 Mar 10. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003703. Online ahead of print.

Affiliations

¹ National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), Box 5330 Majorstuen, 0304 Oslo, Norway.
² Sykehuset i Vestfold HF, Cardiology, Tønsberg, Norway.
³ School of health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Box 1190 Sentrum, 0107 Oslo, Norway.
⁴ Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital, 0450 Oslo, Norway.

PMID: 41803080
DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003703

Abstract

Objective: This cross-sectional study assesses cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in industrial rotating night shift and day workers.

Methods: We examined 27 day workers; 40 night shift workers with high and 34 with low night loads. We assessed sleep, blood pressure (BP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max), glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), lipids, focusing on inflammatory markers, and adipokines.

Results: High load night shift workers had higher inflammation and lower adiponectin level compared to other shift workers and day workers. Night shifts of 8 and 12 hours shortened sleep. Number of night shifts was positively associated with inflammatory markers and negatively associated with adiponectin.

Conclusions: Night shift work is associated with CVD risk factors. Shift schedules with fewer night shifts and longer recovery periods could mitigate it.

Keywords: adipokines; cardiovascular disease; night shift work; occupational cardiology; occupational health; systemic inflammation.