Impact of shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm: a one-year longitudinal study in junior physicians
Abstract Background Cumulative epidemiological evidence suggests that shift work exerts harmful effects on human health. However, the physiological mechanisms are not well understood. This study aimed to examine the impact of shift work on the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12995-018-0204-y |
| _version_ | 1817992532499365888 |
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| author | Jian Li Martin Bidlingmaier Raluca Petru Francisco Pedrosa Gil Adrian Loerbroks Peter Angerer |
| author_facet | Jian Li Martin Bidlingmaier Raluca Petru Francisco Pedrosa Gil Adrian Loerbroks Peter Angerer |
| author_sort | Jian Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Cumulative epidemiological evidence suggests that shift work exerts harmful effects on human health. However, the physiological mechanisms are not well understood. This study aimed to examine the impact of shift work on the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, i.e. diurnal cortisol rhythm. Methods Seventy physicians with a mean age 30 years participated in this one-year longitudinal study. Working schedules, either shift work or regular schedules with day shift, were assessed at baseline. Salivary cortisol samples were collected on two consecutive regular working days, four times a day (including waking, + 4 h, + 8 h, and + 16 h), at both baseline and the one-year follow-up. The diurnal cortisol decline (slope) and total cortisol concentration (area under the curve, AUC) were calculated. Results After adjusting for cortisol secretion at baseline and numerous covariates, shift work at baseline significantly predicted a steeper slope (p < 0.01) and a larger AUC (p < 0.05) of diurnal cortisol rhythm at follow-up in this sample of physicians. In particular, waking cortisol at follow-up was significantly higher among those engaged in shift work than day shift (p < 0.01). Conclusions Our findings support the notion that shift work changes the diurnal cortisol pattern, and is predictive of increased cortisol secretion consequently in junior physicians. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:28:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-546e575b98a94e408d9d20bbd16b4a66 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1745-6673 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:28:07Z |
| publishDate | 2018-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology |
| spelling | doaj.art-546e575b98a94e408d9d20bbd16b4a662022-12-22T02:20:20ZengBMCJournal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology1745-66732018-08-011311910.1186/s12995-018-0204-yImpact of shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm: a one-year longitudinal study in junior physiciansJian Li0Martin Bidlingmaier1Raluca Petru2Francisco Pedrosa Gil3Adrian Loerbroks4Peter Angerer5Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of DüsseldorfEndocrine Research Unit, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Ludwig-Maximilians-UniversityInstitute and Outpatient Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health, Ludwig-Maximilians-UniversityClinic for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Helios Vogtland Clinical CenterInstitute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of DüsseldorfInstitute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of DüsseldorfAbstract Background Cumulative epidemiological evidence suggests that shift work exerts harmful effects on human health. However, the physiological mechanisms are not well understood. This study aimed to examine the impact of shift work on the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, i.e. diurnal cortisol rhythm. Methods Seventy physicians with a mean age 30 years participated in this one-year longitudinal study. Working schedules, either shift work or regular schedules with day shift, were assessed at baseline. Salivary cortisol samples were collected on two consecutive regular working days, four times a day (including waking, + 4 h, + 8 h, and + 16 h), at both baseline and the one-year follow-up. The diurnal cortisol decline (slope) and total cortisol concentration (area under the curve, AUC) were calculated. Results After adjusting for cortisol secretion at baseline and numerous covariates, shift work at baseline significantly predicted a steeper slope (p < 0.01) and a larger AUC (p < 0.05) of diurnal cortisol rhythm at follow-up in this sample of physicians. In particular, waking cortisol at follow-up was significantly higher among those engaged in shift work than day shift (p < 0.01). Conclusions Our findings support the notion that shift work changes the diurnal cortisol pattern, and is predictive of increased cortisol secretion consequently in junior physicians.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12995-018-0204-yShift workCortisolHypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axisLongitudinal studyOccupational health |
| spellingShingle | Jian Li Martin Bidlingmaier Raluca Petru Francisco Pedrosa Gil Adrian Loerbroks Peter Angerer Impact of shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm: a one-year longitudinal study in junior physicians Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology Shift work Cortisol Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis Longitudinal study Occupational health |
| title | Impact of shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm: a one-year longitudinal study in junior physicians |
| title_full | Impact of shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm: a one-year longitudinal study in junior physicians |
| title_fullStr | Impact of shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm: a one-year longitudinal study in junior physicians |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm: a one-year longitudinal study in junior physicians |
| title_short | Impact of shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm: a one-year longitudinal study in junior physicians |
| title_sort | impact of shift work on the diurnal cortisol rhythm a one year longitudinal study in junior physicians |
| topic | Shift work Cortisol Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis Longitudinal study Occupational health |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12995-018-0204-y |
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