Long-term night shift work is associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation and coronary heart disease
Authors' conclusion
Both current and lifetime night shift exposures were associated with increased AF risk, regardless of genetic AF risk. Night shift exposure also increased the risk of CHD but not stroke or HF.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants in paid employment or self-employed, without atrial fibrillation (AF) at baseline5,777 incident AF cases
- Participants
- 283,657 participants
- Exposure
- Night shift work vs day work / shift work without nights
- Outcome
- Incident AF
- Follow-up
- Median 10.4 years
Methodological detailsUK Biobank
- UK Biobank
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Hazard ratio (95% CI)
Usual/permanent night shifts vs Day workershighest risk; reference not stated
1.16(1.02–1.32)
Lifetime night shifts >10 years vs Shift workers never working nightslifetime duration
1.18(0.99–1.40)
Lifetime night shifts 3-8 nights/month vs Shift workers never working nightslifetime frequency
1.22(1.02–1.45)
- Increasing trend in AF risk from day workers to usual/permanent night shifts
- P for trend 0.013
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | HR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Incident CHDUsual/permanent night shifts vs Day workers · current night shifts | 1.22 (1.11–1.35) | |
| 0.512Hazard ratio (log scale) |
Incident coronary heart disease (CHD)
| Comparison | HR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Lifetime night shifts ≥10 years | 1.37 (1.20–1.58) | |
| Lifetime night shifts 3-8 nights/month | 1.35 (1.18–1.55) | |
| 0.512Hazard ratio (log scale) |
- Incident CHD: 276 009 participants free of CHD, stroke and heart failure (HF) at baseline
Stroke and HF
- Associations not significant
Original publication
Long-term night shift work is associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation and coronary heart disease. Eur Heart J. Published 10 August 2021. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it