Song Ji-Hun, Kim Hyoung-Ryoul, Lee Dong-Wook, Min Jeehee, Lee Yu Min, Kang Mo-Yeol
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Public Healthcare Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Ann Occup Environ Med. 2022 May 13;34:e9. doi: 10.35371/aoem.2022.34.e9. eCollection 2022.
Long working hours causes several health risks, but little is known about its effects on the liver. This study aimed to examine the correlation between working hours and abnormal liver enzyme levels.
We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV-VII. For the final 15,316 study participant, the information on working hours was obtained through questionnaires, and liver enzyme levels, consisting of serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), through blood tests. The relationship between weekly working hours and abnormal levels of liver enzymes was analyzed using multiple logistic regression, and a trend test was also conducted.
In male, working ≥ 61 hours per week was significantly associated with elevated AST and ALT levels compared with working 35-52 hours per week. Even after adjusting for covariates, the odds ratios (ORs) of abnormal AST and ALT increased by 1.51 (95% confidence interval: 1.20-2.05) and 1.25 (1.03-1.52), respectively, and a dose-response relationship was observed. This association was more prominent among the high-risk group, such as those aged > 40 years, obese individuals, worker on non-standard work schedule, pink-collar workers, or temporary worker. No correlation was observed in female.
Long working hours are associated with abnormal liver function test results in male. Strict adherence to statutory working hours is necessary to protect workers' liver health.
长时间工作会引发多种健康风险，但人们对其对肝脏的影响知之甚少。本研究旨在探讨工作时长与肝酶水平异常之间的相关性。
我们使用了韩国国家健康与营养检查调查IV - VII的数据。对于最终的15316名研究参与者，通过问卷调查获取工作时长信息，通过血液检测获取肝酶水平，包括血清天冬氨酸氨基转移酶（AST）和丙氨酸氨基转移酶（ALT）水平。使用多元逻辑回归分析每周工作时长与肝酶异常水平之间的关系，并进行趋势检验。
在男性中，与每周工作35 - 52小时相比，每周工作≥61小时与AST和ALT水平升高显著相关。即使在调整协变量后，AST和ALT异常的优势比（OR）分别增加了1.51（95%置信区间：1.20 - 2.05）和1.25（1.03 - 1.52），并观察到剂量反应关系。这种关联在高危人群中更为突出，如年龄>40岁的人、肥胖个体、非标准工作时间表的工人、粉领工人或临时工。在女性中未观察到相关性。
长时间工作与男性肝功能检查结果异常有关。严格遵守法定工作时长对于保护工人的肝脏健康是必要的。
