Assessment of inflammatory status in long-term night shift workers using the CRP-albumin ratio and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio.

Abstract

Long-term night shift (NS) work is known to affect the body's circadian rhythm, leading to chronic low-level inflammation. We aimed to evaluate this information for the first time through CRP-Albumin Ratio [CAR] and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio [NLR] levels. Design is descriptive, cross-sectional. After exclusion criteria, a total of 84 males were included in the study, 38 of whom had been working at NS for at least three months and 46 who had been working on the day shift. Both NLR and CAR levels were significantly higher in NS workers compared to day shift workers (2.19 [%95 CI 1.99-2.39]; 1.84 [%95 CI 1.65-2.03] p = 0.012 and 0.44 [%95 CI 0.32-0.56]; 0.24 [%95 CI 0.18-0.29] p = 0.002, respectively). This supports the idea that chronic low inflammation may occur as a result of disruption of the circadian rhythm.