Dataset Information

Cross-sectional association between long working hours and liver function: the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Although the effects of long working hours on liver function remain unclear, in South Korea, there is a social perception that long working hours are associated with poor liver function. Thus, long working hours have recently become a major issue. This study aimed to determine the association between long working hours and liver function, as indicated by the alanine transaminase (ALT) levels.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Large university hospitals in Seoul and Suwon, South Korea.

Participants

Workers in formal employment who underwent a comprehensive health examination at the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Total Healthcare Centre clinics in Seoul and Suwon, South Korea, between January 2011 and December 2018. Of the 386?488 participants, 212?421 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis.

Primary outcome measure

ALT elevation.

Results

The participants were predominantly well-educated (86.1%), male (69.3%) and in their 30s (49.6%). In total, 13.4% of the participants presented ALT elevation (>40?IU/L). There was no significant association between working hours and ALT elevation in the general population and in the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative group. Conversely, in the HBsAg-positive group, working >60?hours per week compared with 35-40?hours per week was significantly associated with ALT elevation. The association was more pronounced in those with ALT levels >80?IU/L (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.24 to 3.01) than in those with ALT levels >40?IU/L (OR: 1.45, 95%?CI 1.20 to 1.75). The p values for trend were <0.05.

Conclusions

Long working hours were associated with ALT elevation only in hepatitis B virus carriers and not in the general population. Provided that there is adherence to the legal working hours, there is no need to further restrict working hours for liver health, irrespective of HBsAg status.

SUBMITTER: Mun E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7778760 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Cross-sectional association between long working hours and liver function: the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study.

Mun Eunchan E Lee Woncheol W Nam Min-Woo MW Kim Hyun-Il HI Kim Hyeongcheol H Lee Yesung Y Park Soyoung S

BMJ open 20201229 12

<h4>Objectives</h4>Although the effects of long working hours on liver function remain unclear, in South Korea, there is a social perception that long working hours are associated with poor liver function. Thus, long working hours have recently become a major issue. This study aimed to determine the association between long working hours and liver function, as indicated by the alanine transaminase (ALT) levels.<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional study.<h4>Setting</h4>Large university hospitals in Seo ...[more]

PMID: 33376174

Similar Datasets

Project description:ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the cross-sectional association between long working hours and gastritis diagnosed by endoscopy.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingLarge university hospitals in Seoul and Suwon, South Korea.ParticipantsWorkers in formal employment who underwent a comprehensive health examination at the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Total Healthcare Centre clinics in Seoul and Suwon, South Korea, between January 2011 and December 2018. Of the 386 488 participants, 168 391 full-time day workers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis.Primary outcome measureEndoscopic gastritis.ResultsThe participants were predominantly college graduates or above (88.9%), male (71.2%) and in their 30s (51.1%), and the median age was 36 (IQR 31-42). Approximately 93.2% of participants had positive endoscopic gastritis, and there was a significant association between working hours and positive findings of endoscopic gastritis. The multivariate fully adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) of endoscopic gastritis for participants working >55 hours per week compared with 35-40 hours per week was 1.011 (95% CI 1.007 to 1.015). Furthermore, endoscopic findings were classified into nine subtypes of gastritis, including superficial gastritis, erosive gastritis, atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and haemorrhagic gastritis increased with longer working hours (p for trends <0.05). Their PRs for participants working >55 hours per week compared with 35-40 hours per week were 1.019 (95% CI 1.012 to 1.026), 1.025 (95% CI 1.011 to 1.040), 1.017 (95% CI 1.008 to 1.027), 1.066 (95% CI 1.028 to 1.105) and 1.177 (95% CI 1.007 to 1.375), respectively.ConclusionsWorking over 55 hours per week was cross-sectionally associated with positive findings of endoscopic gastritis. The study findings indicated potentially increased risks of superficial gastritis, erosive gastritis, atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and haemorrhagic gastritis among workers with long working hours (>55 hours per week), supporting the need for further exploration via longitudinal studies.

Project description:ObjectiveLong working hours have been shown to raise the risk of various health outcomes. However, epidemiological evidence has shown inconsistent result in relation to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the association between long working hours and pre-diabetes among non-diabetic adults remains largely unexplored. We thus aimed to investigate whether long working hours were linked with pre-diabetes as determined by glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level.DesignCross-sectional survey.ParticipantsThis study included 6324 men and 4001 women without diabetes from the 2010 to 2017 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.Primary outcome measuresThe study outcome of interest was pre-diabetes, defined as HbA1c values 5.7% to 6.4% RESULTS: Logistic regression was performed to obtain the ORs for pre-diabetes according to categories of work hour (40 hours/week, 41 to 52 hours/week, >52 hours/week), after adjusting for relevant covariates. Of the 10 325 eligible participants, 2261 (34.4%) men and 1317 (31.0%) women had pre-diabetes. No statistically significant relationship was found for women. In men, extended working hours (>52 hours per week) was associated with an increased likelihood of pre-diabetes, after adjustment for age, educational attainment, monthly household income, lifestyle related factors, perceived stress, family history of diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and other covariates (adjusted OR=1.22; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.46). In the subgroup analysis by occupational categories, the association was only apparent among men in blue-collar worker groups.ConclusionExtended working hours were significantly related to pre-diabetes in men, with no statistically significant association observed for women. Further subgroup analysis by occupational categories revealed that the increased odds of pre-diabetes associated with long working hours was only apparent among male workers of blue-collar occupations and shift workers.

Dataset Information

Cross-sectional association between long working hours and liver function: the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study.

Objectives

Design

Setting

Participants

Primary outcome measure

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Cross-sectional association between long working hours and liver function: the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets