Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Thyroid. 2020 Oct;30(10):1432-1439. doi: 10.1089/thy.2019.0709. Epub 2020 May 5.
Studies have highlighted the adverse effects of long work hours on workers' health; however, the association of long work hours with thyroid function has not been studied. This study aimed at assessing long work hours as a risk factor for thyroid dysfunction. This cross-sectional study was based on data obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 2013 to 2015. A total of 2160 adults who worked 36-83 hours per week were included. Thyroid function was defined based on the population thyroid-stimulating hormone reference ranges, after excluding individuals with positive results for thyroid peroxidase antibody. The association between work hours and thyroid function was confirmed via multinomial logistic regression. Hypothyroidism was more prevalent among those with longer work hours (3.5% vs. 1.4% for 53-83 and 36-42 work hours per week, respectively). Individuals who worked longer hours had an increased odds for hypothyroidism (odds ratio 1.46, confidence interval 1.12 - 1.90, per 10-hour increase in work hours per week), after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, urine iodine concentration, smoking status, work schedule, and socioeconomic status. The association between work hours and hypothyroidism was consistent in various subgroups stratified by sex or socioeconomic status. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show that long work hours are associated with hypothyroidism. Further large longitudinal studies are needed to clarify causality.
研究强调了长时间工作对工人健康的不利影响；然而，长时间工作与甲状腺功能之间的关联尚未得到研究。本研究旨在评估长时间工作作为甲状腺功能障碍的一个风险因素。这项横断面研究基于 2013 年至 2015 年进行的韩国国家健康和营养检查调查的数据。共纳入 2160 名每周工作 36-83 小时的成年人。在排除甲状腺过氧化物酶抗体阳性的个体后，根据人群促甲状腺激素参考范围定义甲状腺功能。通过多项逻辑回归确认工作时间与甲状腺功能之间的关联。长时间工作者中甲状腺功能减退症更为常见（分别为 3.5%和 1.4%，每周工作 53-83 小时和 36-42 小时）。在调整年龄、性别、体重指数、尿碘浓度、吸烟状况、工作时间表和社会经济地位后，每周工作时间每增加 10 小时，甲状腺功能减退症的患病风险增加（优势比 1.46，95%置信区间 1.12-1.90）。按性别或社会经济地位分层的各种亚组中，工作时间与甲状腺功能减退症之间的关联是一致的。据我们所知，这项研究首次表明长时间工作与甲状腺功能减退症有关。需要进一步的大型纵向研究来阐明因果关系。
