Shift Work and Arteriosclerosis Risk in Professional Bus Drivers
Received 10 February 2009; accepted 1 July 2009. published online 05 October 2009.
Purpose
Professional bus drivers are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, but the underlying causes are unclear. Professional bus drivers often follow shift schedules. Especially, an association between shift work and early manifestations of cardiovascular disease has not been elucidated. Thus we investigated the links between shift work and arteriosclerosis risk in professional bus drivers.
Methods
Questionnaires were administered to 184 bus drivers on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and occupational history from 5 transportation companies in Taiwan. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured using a volume-plethysmographic apparatus. Body mass index, waist circumference, biochemical variables, and blood pressure were also measured.
Results
Arteriosclerotic risk factors (age, weekly driving hours, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and insulin level) differed in part among different groups of drivers. Long-term shift drivers had higher baPWV compared to regular drivers and short-term shift drivers (1594 cm/s vs. 1497 and 1432, p<0.01). Our multiple regression model showed that age (p<0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (p<0.01) were positively associated with baPWV in our professional drivers. After adjusting for all covariates, we observed that baPWV increased by 3.6 cm/s for per 1-year increment in years of shift driving.
Conclusions
Long-term shift work could increase the risk of arteriosclerosis in professional bus drivers. Larger studies would be necessary to provide further evidence regarding this finding.
aDepartment of Occupational Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
bDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
cSchool of Medicine, College of Health Care and Management, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
dDepartment of Public Health, College of Health Care and Management, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
Address reprint requests and correspondence to: Dr Ruey-Hong Wong, Department of Public Health, College of Health Care and Management, Chung Shan Medical University, No 110 Chien-Kuo N Rd, Sec. 1, Taichung, Taiwan 40242. Tel: 886-4-24730022, ext 11790. Fax: 886-4-23248179.
ABSTRACT