title: Current and cumulative night shift work and subclinical atherosclerosis: results of the Gutenberg Health Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study examines the association between exposure to current and cumulative night shift work and subclinical parameters of atherosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants of a population-based cohort study (the Gutenberg Health Study, N = 15,010) aged 35-64 years were examined at baseline (2007-2012). Investigations included measurements of arterial stiffness, vascular function [reactive hyperaemia (RH) index], and intima media thickness (IMT). Also, a complete job history (including up to 15 periods), occupational exposures, a variety of lifestyle, and dispositional variables were enquired.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Night shift work was performed by 1071 out of 8065 currently employed individuals. The strongest association after adjustment for age, sex, job complexity level, being a manager, overtime work, and noise appeared for more than 660 night shifts within the last 10 years and a significantly increased arterial stiffness of 0.33 m/s. This reflects a 4 % flow velocity increase for individuals with more than 660 night shifts compared to non-night workers. Regarding the entire professional life, night shift workers showed a significantly decreased vascular function by -0.054 RH index points by using the same adjustment. IMT values did not differ statistically from non-night workers. Lifestyle and dispositional factors showed an influence on all used subclinical atherosclerosis parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cross-sectional results demonstrate an association between night work and detrimental changes in the atherosclerotic process. The association is more pronounced with more years in night shift and is partly explained by lifestyle and dispositional factors. Longitudinal analyses are necessary to confirm the results.
authors.affiliation: Division Work and Health, Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Noeldnerstr. 40-42, 10317, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jankowiak
authors.affiliation: Division Work and Health, Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Noeldnerstr. 40-42, 10317, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Backé
authors.affiliation: Division Work and Health, Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Noeldnerstr. 40-42, 10317, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liebers
authors.affiliation: Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine 2, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hegewald
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.|Department of Psychosomatics and Health Behaviour, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0403, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garthus-Niegel
authors.affiliation: FFAS, Freiburg Research Centre for Occupational and Social Medicine, Bertoldstr. 27, 79098, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nübling
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Interventional Cardiology, University Heart Center Hamburg, Martinistr. 52, 20251, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blankenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lackner
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beutel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Centre, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Straße 69, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blettner
authors.affiliation: Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine 2, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.|DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Rhein-Main, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Münzel
authors.affiliation: Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine 2, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.|DZHK (German Center for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Rhein-Main, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.|Center of Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seidler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Obere Zahlbacher Straße 67, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Letzel
authors.affiliation: Division Work and Health, Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Noeldnerstr. 40-42, 10317, Berlin, Germany. latza.ute@baua.bund.de.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Latza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Arterial stiffness; Intima media thickness; Night shift work; Occupation; Population based; Vascular function