Shift work is associated with 10-year incidence of atrial fibrillation in younger but not older individuals from the general population: results from the Tromsø Study

Victor W. Zwartkruis, Ekaterina Sharashova, Tom Wilsgaard, University Groningen, Maja Lisa Løchen, Michiel Rienstra*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

1 Citation (Web of Science)

Abstract

Objectives Shift work is associated with myocardial infarction and stroke. We studied if shift work is also associated with incident atrial fibrillation (AF) and if this association differs, depending on sex and age. Methods We studied 22 339 participants (age 37.0±9.8 years, 49% women) with paid work from the third (1986-1987), fourth (1994-1995), fifth (2001) and sixth (2007-2008) surveys of the population-based Tromsø Study, Norway. Participants were followed up for ECG-confirmed AF through 2016. Shift work was assessed by questionnaire at each survey. We used unadjusted and multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models to study the association of shift work with 10-year incident AF and incident AF during extensive follow-up up to 31 years. Interactions with sex and age were tested in the multivariable model. Results Shift work was reported by 21% of participants at the first attended survey. There was an interaction between shift work and age for 10-year incident AF (p=0.069). When adjusted for AF risk factors, shift work was significantly associated with 10-year incident AF in participants <40 years (HR 2.90, 95% CI 1.12 to 7.49) but not≥40 years of age (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.51). Shift work was not associated with incident AF during extensive follow-up (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.20). There was no interaction between shift work and sex. Conclusions Shift work was associated with 10-year incident AF in individuals <40 years but not ≥40 years of age. Shift work was not associated with incident AF during extensive follow-up up to 31 years, and there were no sex differences.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere002086
JournalOpen Heart
Volume9
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2022
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Outside of the submitted work, the authors disclosed the following financial support: RAdB reports grants from the Dutch Heart Foundation (CVON SHE-PREDICTS-HF, grant 2017-21; CVON RED-CVD, grant 2017-11; CVON PREDICT2, grant 2018-30; and CVON DOUBLE DOSE, grant 2020B005), leDucq Foundation (Cure PhosphoLambaN induced Cardiomyopathy) and the European Research Council (SECRETE-HF, ERC CoG 818715). The UMCG, which employs RAdB, received research grants and/or fees from AstraZeneca, Abbott, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cardior Pharmaceuticals Gmbh, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk and Roche. RAdB received speaker fees from Abbott, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Novartis and Roche. MR reports grants from the Dutch Heart Foundation (CVON RACE V, grant 2014-09; CVON RED-CVD, grant 2017-11; CVON-AI, grant 2018B017; DECISION, grant 2018B024). The UMCG, which employs MR, received grants from SJM/Abbott (VIP-HF study) and Medtronic (Cryoballoon AF registry/biobank study).

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Dutch Heart Foundation (CVON RED-CVD, grant 2017-11).

Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s)(or their employer(s)) 2022.

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