Julie Elbaek Pedersen, Kajsa Kirstine Ugelvig Petersen, Maria Helena Guerra Andersen, Anne Thoustrup Saber, Ulla Vogel, Niels Ebbehøj, Jens Peter Bonde, Tina Kold Jensen, Regitze Sølling Wils, Johnni Hansen
{"title":"Non-malignant kidney diseases in Danish firefighters.","authors":"Julie Elbaek Pedersen, Kajsa Kirstine Ugelvig Petersen, Maria Helena Guerra Andersen, Anne Thoustrup Saber, Ulla Vogel, Niels Ebbehøj, Jens Peter Bonde, Tina Kold Jensen, Regitze Sølling Wils, Johnni Hansen","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110285","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2025-110285","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Firefighters face a range of hazards, including strenuous tasks in high-temperature environments and exposure to chemicals. These hazards may increase the risk of kidney diseases. However, limited evidence supports this hypothesis within this occupational group. Hence, this study aimed to assess the relationship between firefighting and kidney diseases.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cohort comprising 10 094 male Danish firefighters was analysed, including 3455 full-time and 6639 part-time/volunteer firefighters. Diagnoses of kidney disease from 1994 to 2014 were retrieved from the Danish National Patient Registry. Morbidity among firefighters was compared with that of a sample of the male working population, and standardised incidence ratios (SIR) were used to estimate relative risks.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results indicated a positive association between full-time firefighting and urolithiasis (SIR 1.36; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.63). Shorter employment (<5 years) was associated with a higher risk of glomerulonephritis and chronic kidney disease, whereas longer employment (≥5 years) was linked to lower risks for most outcomes, except for urolithiasis, which remained elevated regardless of employment duration. Full-time specialised smoke divers were indicated to have a higher risk of glomerulonephritis, renal failure and chronic kidney disease. Urolithiasis risk was associated with an elevated risk in both regular and specialised full-time firefighters. Risk estimates for the assessed kidney diseases among part-time/volunteer firefighters generally reflected a lower risk.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study provides evidence for elevated risks of certain kidney diseases in full-time firefighters, especially urolithiasis. Awareness of sufficient hydration in relation to extreme heat exposures may be particularly important among firefighters.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145337452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Occupational risk assessment: lessons from the MSHA Silica Rule.","authors":"Ellen A Eisen, Sadie Costello, Gregory Wagner","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110557","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2025-110557","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145337383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Camilla Sandal Sejbaek, Ida E H Madsen, Esben Meulengracht Flachs, Jens Peter Ellekilde Bonde, Johan Høy Jensen, Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum, Reiner Rugulies, Sandra Soegaard Toettenborg, Karin Sørig Hougaard, Luise Moelenberg Begtrup
{"title":"Psychosocial working conditions during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a Danish nationwide register-based cohort study.","authors":"Camilla Sandal Sejbaek, Ida E H Madsen, Esben Meulengracht Flachs, Jens Peter Ellekilde Bonde, Johan Høy Jensen, Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum, Reiner Rugulies, Sandra Soegaard Toettenborg, Karin Sørig Hougaard, Luise Moelenberg Begtrup","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110195","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2025-110195","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Evidence regarding the effect of psychosocial working conditions on adverse pregnancy outcomes remains inconclusive. We investigated whether four aspects of psychosocial working conditions were associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In the Danish National Occupational Cohort with eXposure (DOC*X)-Generation cohort of employed pregnant women, 1977-2018, occupational quantitative demands, influence, emotional demands and physical violence, divided into tertiles, were assessed by job exposure matrices and linked with occupation during pregnancy from the Danish version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations 88. The Danish National Patient Register provided data on miscarriages and the Danish Medical Birth Register data on gestational age and birth weight to estimate preterm birth (PTB) and small for gestational age (SGA) in singleton pregnancies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The pregnancies in one million women resulted in 13% (~1 921 890 million) miscarriages, 13% (~1 604 96 million) SGA children and 5% (~1 482 493 million) PTB. The risk of miscarriage was higher among women in occupations with high emotional demands (adjusted odds ratio (adjOR)=1.20, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.21) and high physical violence (adjOR=1.24, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.26) compared with those in occupations with low exposure. The combined effect of quantitative demands and influence showed no association or ORs<1 for miscarriage compared with combined low quantitative demands/high influence. The findings on SGA and PTB were inconsistent (adjORs 0.91-1.06).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings suggest that emotional demands and physical violence at work are associated with higher odds of miscarriage, whereas associations between the different exposures and SGA and PTB were inconsistent. Further studies applying individual level measurements of psychosocial working conditions are warranted.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145329637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Joel Luedke, Jessica Hinman, Tim Clark, Annette Zapp, Margaret T Jones, Jennifer B Fields, Jacob L Erickson, Andrew R Jagim
{"title":"Differences in total sleep time and heart rate variability between shift types in firefighters.","authors":"Joel Luedke, Jessica Hinman, Tim Clark, Annette Zapp, Margaret T Jones, Jennifer B Fields, Jacob L Erickson, Andrew R Jagim","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110197","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110197","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The purpose of the current study was to evaluate differences in total sleep time and heart rate variability (HRV) in active-duty firefighters between on-shift and off-shift days.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>59 structural firefighters (age: 37.3±7.3 years; height: 1.80±0.08 m; weight: 88.9±14.1 kg and body mass index (BMI): 27.5±4.1 kg/m<sup>2</sup>) participated in this longitudinal observation study. Each morning for 15 weeks, firefighters were asked to sync a smart ring with a smartphone application to download night-time data, which were then extracted to a cloud-based software application for later analysis. The software also computed a readiness score each morning. All day types were coded as on-shift or off-shift.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The average nightly sleep time for all firefighters was 6.95±1.24 hours. When off-shift, firefighters recorded more sleep compared with on-shift nights (off-shift: 6.97±0.50 hours vs on-shift: 6.68±0.52 hours; p<0.0001). HRV (p<0.0001) and readiness scores (p=0.02) were lower off-shift compared with on-shift. For the lagged correlation analysis, total sleep time was moderately positively correlated with the following day's readiness score.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Firefighters recorded more total sleep time when off-shift compared with on-shift; however, HRV and readiness scores were higher on-shift. The lag-time correlations indicate an association between sleep time and HRV or readiness scores, with approximately half of the variability in readiness being attributable to changes in total sleep time, which highlights the complexity of the readiness and HRV signals/systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"363-369"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145206975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Patrick Hinton, Laura Andrea Rodriguez-Villamizar, Philippe Prince, Tim Prendergast, Minh T Do, Paul A Demers, Cheryl E Peters, Lydia B Zablotska, Paul J Villeneuve
{"title":"Protracted exposure to low-dose ionising radiation and cancer incidence among Canadian nuclear power plant workers.","authors":"Patrick Hinton, Laura Andrea Rodriguez-Villamizar, Philippe Prince, Tim Prendergast, Minh T Do, Paul A Demers, Cheryl E Peters, Lydia B Zablotska, Paul J Villeneuve","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110257","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110257","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Ionising radiation is a human carcinogen; however, there are uncertainties about the shape of the exposure-response function at low doses. We evaluated the relationship between radiation dose and cancer incidence in a cohort of Canadian nuclear power plant workers (NPPWs) with protracted exposures to low-dose ionising radiation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The cohort included 75 350 workers employed at one of five Canadian nuclear power plants any time between 1945 and 2010. Exposure to cumulative whole-body effective dose was determined through personal monitoring. A total of 4370 incident cancers were identified through record linkage of these workers to national cancer registries (1969-2010). Vital status was determined through linkages to national mortality and tax databases. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated to compare cancer incidence rates of the cohort with the Canadian general population. Poisson regression was used to characterise dose-response relationships via categorical and linear excess relative risk (ERR) models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significantly elevated SIRs were found for solid cancers (combined), melanoma, colon and prostate cancer, while a reduced SIR was found for lung cancer. Positive, but not statistically significant excess risks were found for melanoma (ERR/100 mSv=0.32; 95% CI: -0.23 to 0.87) and prostate cancer (ERR/100 mSv=0.12; 95% CI: -0.05 to 0.29). An inverse association was found for lung cancer (ERR/100 mSv=-0.18; 95% CI: -0.01 to -0.36).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our findings suggest that Canadian NPPWs have increased risks of prostate cancer and melanoma from low-dose ionising radiation exposure. Estimates should be cautiously interpreted due to the inability to adjust for demographic and lifestyle factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"370-379"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145125239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alesia M Jung, Sara A Jahnke, Leslie K Dennis, Melanie L Bell, Jefferey L Burgess, Leslie V Farland
{"title":"Infertility burden among women firefighters: a cross-sectional exploratory analysis.","authors":"Alesia M Jung, Sara A Jahnke, Leslie K Dennis, Melanie L Bell, Jefferey L Burgess, Leslie V Farland","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2024-109967","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2024-109967","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Despite biological and environmental plausibility, risk factors for infertility have not yet been studied among female firefighters. In this exploratory analysis, we investigated the burden of infertility among a subset of US firefighters enrolled in the Health and Wellness of Women Firefighters Study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Women firefighters enrolled in the study responded to surveys administered in 2017 and 2019, reporting on their work environment, reproductive health, infertility history and fertility treatment history among those with infertility. Demographics and reproductive history of firefighters were compared by reported history of infertility. Log binomial regression models were used to estimate the association between occupational factors and risk of infertility.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 562 firefighters in our analysis, 168 of these women (30%) reported a history of infertility. A longer length of employment as a firefighter was associated with a modest, but non-statistically significant, increased relative risk of experiencing infertility (1.39, 95% CI 0.86 to 2.24).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This exploratory analysis highlights an opportunity to further examine infertility and impaired fertility among firefighters. Future studies may focus on comparing the burden of infertility in firefighters to the general population and evaluating the influence of additional occupational factors.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"403-405"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12367104/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144760632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Janneke Berecki-Gisolf, Win Wah, Alex Collie, Deborah C Glass, Ryan F Hoy, Malcolm R Sim, Tim R Driscoll, Karen Walker-Bone
{"title":"Emergency responders' return to work after injury/disease sustained during periods of extreme bushfires.","authors":"Janneke Berecki-Gisolf, Win Wah, Alex Collie, Deborah C Glass, Ryan F Hoy, Malcolm R Sim, Tim R Driscoll, Karen Walker-Bone","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110170","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110170","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>While injuries/illnesses among emergency responders during extreme bushfires in Victoria, Australia, are well-documented, the impact of bushfire periods on return-to-work (RTW) outcomes is less understood. This study investigates whether workers' compensation claims lodged during extreme bushfire periods are associated with slower RTW, more lost work time and time-off-work relapse.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Workers' compensation claims made by emergency responders in Victoria (Australia), 2005-2023, were analysed. Claims for injuries/diseases occurring during bushfire periods were compared with those made during non-bushfire periods. Time to first full RTW was determined from income compensation payments as time until first payment cessation of ≥10 days. RTW was analysed using Cox regression models. Compensated workdays and time-off-work relapse occurrences were modelled using generalised linear models and logistic regression, respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 11 773 claims, 398 (3.4%) were lodged during extreme bushfires. Extreme bushfire period claims were associated with longer time to RTW (HR of 0.81, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.91). In extreme bushfire periods, median compensated days per claim were 74 (IQR 20, 346) versus 58 (18, 212) in other time periods. In the adjusted modelling, the count ratio for extreme bushfire periods (vs other time periods) was 1.13 (95%CI 1.01 to 1.27): a 13% increase in expected compensated days. Time-off-work relapse occurrence was not significantly affected by extreme bushfire periods.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In emergency responders, bushfire period claims were associated with increased duration of time off work. Tailored RTW programmes that proactively gauge claim complexity associated with exposure to extreme bushfires, as well as provision of targeted services, should be considered.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"380-387"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145192350","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Carl Fredrik Fagernæs, Hans Thore Smedbold, Pål Richard Romundstad, Marte Renate Thomassen, Anje Christina Höper, Gro Tjalvin, Anna Beathe Overn Nordhammer, Hilde Brun Lauritzen, Erlend Hassel, Kaja Irgens-Hansen, Berit Elisabeth Bang, Sindre Rabben Svedahl
{"title":"Work-related asthma symptoms and lung function among workers in the Norwegian salmon processing industry: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Carl Fredrik Fagernæs, Hans Thore Smedbold, Pål Richard Romundstad, Marte Renate Thomassen, Anje Christina Höper, Gro Tjalvin, Anna Beathe Overn Nordhammer, Hilde Brun Lauritzen, Erlend Hassel, Kaja Irgens-Hansen, Berit Elisabeth Bang, Sindre Rabben Svedahl","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110208","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110208","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Exposure to bioaerosols from salmon processing is associated with occupational asthma. The prevalence of work-related asthma symptoms in fish processing workers has earlier been reported to be 12%-24%, but small sample sizes and heterogeneity in exposure across studies make generalisability to todays' salmon processing industry questionable. Studies comparing filleting workers and slaughtering workers have shown conflicting results.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Questionnaire and spirometry data from workers in nine different salmon processing plants were gathered during 2021-2023. Exposure to salmon bioaerosols was defined by work tasks and total time working with salmon. Asthma symptoms and lung function were compared between exposure groups using logistic regression and adjusting for relevant confounding variables.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 867 workers regularly or variably exposed to salmon bioaerosols, 170 (20%) had work-related asthma symptoms. Exposure was associated with symptoms, but not with lung function. Of the 440 exposed workers with spirometry data, 9.8% had expiratory airflow limitation, and all mean lung function measures were below the reference values. The prevalence of work-related asthma symptoms was slightly higher among gutting workers than filleting workers (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.8).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The prevalence of work-related asthma symptoms is high in salmon processing, probably due to bioaerosol exposure. Salmon processing workers had more expiratory airflow limitation and lower lung function compared with the reference values. Although gutting workers had slightly higher risk for work-related asthma symptoms than filleting workers, all exposed workers seem to be at risk and preventive measures should be taken in all areas where bioaerosols are present.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"388-395"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145182101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Fu-Jen Lee, Hathaichon Inchai, Jaw-Town Lin, David Koh, Ro-Ting Lin
{"title":"Dose-response relationship of cadmium and pancreatic cancer risk: a meta-analysis.","authors":"Fu-Jen Lee, Hathaichon Inchai, Jaw-Town Lin, David Koh, Ro-Ting Lin","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110163","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2025-110163","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cadmium (Cd), a group 1 carcinogen, is linked to the development of pancreatic cancer. Not well-defined is the dose-response relationship between Cd and cancer development.This study investigated the relationship between Cd exposure and the risk of pancreatic cancer through a meta-analysis focusing on pooled relative risk (RR), biomarker comparisons and dose-response relationships.This meta-analysis adhered to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and applied the PECO (population, exposure, comparator and outcomes) framework. Systematic searches of key databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMBASE, ScienceDirect and ProQuest, were carried out without language restrictions. Studies that met the predefined PECO criteria were chosen, extracting data on effect estimates such as HRs, ORs, RRs and Cd biomarker concentrations. Analyses involved pooled RRs, standardised mean differences for biomarker comparisons and dose-response relationships, using random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression. Statistical procedures were performed on R V.4.3.0.Cd exposure was significantly associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, with a pooled RR of 1.42 (95% CI=1.16 to 1.73). Subgroup analyses confirmed this association in both occupationally and non-occupationally exposed individuals. Dose-response analyses further revealed that higher Cd biomarker levels correlated with greater pancreatic cancer risk (lnRR coefficient=0.610, p=0.035).Cd exposure is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, with a dose-response relationship and elevated biomarker levels in cases. Cd exposure is a modifiable risk factor for pancreatic cancer, meriting further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"407-414"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145081331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Linske de Bruijn, Nina E Berentzen, Roel C H Vermeulen, Jelle J Vlaanderen, Hans Kromhout, Katarzyna Jóźwiak, Monique E van Leerdam, Flora E van Leeuwen, Michael Schaapveld
{"title":"Night shift work and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective cohort study among 56 477 female nurses in the Netherlands.","authors":"Linske de Bruijn, Nina E Berentzen, Roel C H Vermeulen, Jelle J Vlaanderen, Hans Kromhout, Katarzyna Jóźwiak, Monique E van Leerdam, Flora E van Leeuwen, Michael Schaapveld","doi":"10.1136/oemed-2024-109878","DOIUrl":"10.1136/oemed-2024-109878","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Night shift work has been classified as probably carcinogenic to humans, possibly related to suppression of melatonin secretion. Although experimental studies suggest that melatonin inhibits intestinal tumor proliferation, epidemiological evidence for a relationship between night shift work and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is lacking.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We prospectively examined the association between night shift work and CRC in the Nightingale Study. We included 56 477 Dutch female nurses who completed a questionnaire in 2011, including occupational history with detailed (historical) information on night shift work. Until February 2025, 468 incident CRCs were recorded. Age-adjusted HRs and 95% CIs for associations between night shift work variables and CRC risk were estimated using Cox regressions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>CRC risk did not differ between nurses who ever or never worked night shifts (HR=1.13; 95% CI=0.89 to 1.44). A longer duration of working night shifts (≥20 years: HR=1.19; 95%CI=0.89 to 1.60) was neither associated with CRC risk. However, a higher average number of consecutive night shifts per month (continuous per shift; HR=1.04, 95%CI=1.00 to 1.07) and a higher cumulative number of performed night shifts (continuous per 250 shifts: HR=1.02; 95%CI=1.00 to 1.04) were associated with a slightly increased risk. Chronotype did not affect the associations of CRC risk with night shift work.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Although a longer duration of night shift work was not associated with CRC risk, both a higher frequency of and a higher cumulative exposure to night shifts were associated with slightly higher risk, suggesting a potential association between extensive exposure to night shift work and CRC risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":19459,"journal":{"name":"Occupational and Environmental Medicine","volume":" ","pages":"396-402"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145033899","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}