Background: Shift work is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. Here, we sought to assess the relationship between shift work and plasma homocysteine levels. Determining the correlations between shift work and homocysteine levels may provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying cardiovascular diseases.
Methods: This study was performed using data from routine health examinations of steel workers in 2017. In total, 431 male workers (70 daytime workers and 361 shift workers) employed on a rolling departure schedule were recruited. Plasma homocysteine levels > 15 μmol/L were considered elevated. The χ2, analysis of variance, and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between shift work and plasma homocysteine levels.
Results: In comparison to daytime workers, the odds ratio (OR) of hyperhomocysteinemia in individuals with < 10 years of shift work was 1.14 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64-2.03), compared to 2.01 (95% CI: 1.14-3.54) for workers with ≥ 10 years of experience. After adjusting for confounding variables, the adjusted OR for shift workers with < 10 years of experience was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.50-1.80), compared to 2.00 (95% CI: 1.07-3.74) for workers with ≥ 10 years of experience.
Conclusions: The risk of hyperhomocysteinemia was significantly higher in shift workers compared to those working normal daytime hours, particularly among long-term shift workers.
Keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Homocysteine; Hyperhomocysteinemia; Shift work.