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- Title
Shift work, inflammation and musculoskeletal pain—The HUNT Study.
- Authors
Matre, D; Christensen, J O; Mork, P J; Ferreira, P; Sand, T; Nilsen, K B
- Abstract
Background Studies have indicated that shift work, in particular night work, is associated with chronic musculoskeletal pain but the mechanisms are unclear. It has been suggested that sleep disturbance, a common complaint among shift and night workers, may induce low-grade inflammation as well as heightened pain sensitivity. Aims Firstly, this study was aimed to examine the cross-sectional associations between shift work, C-reactive protein (CRP) level and chronic musculoskeletal pain, and secondly, to analyse CRP as a mediator between shift work and chronic musculoskeletal pain. Methods The study included 23 223 vocationally active women and men who participated in the HUNT4 Survey of the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT). Information was collected by questionnaires, interviews, biological samples and clinical examination. Results Regression analyses adjusted for sex, age and education revealed significant associations between shift work and odds of any chronic musculoskeletal pain (odd ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–1.19), between shift work and CRP level (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.03–1.16) and between CRP level 3.00–10 mg/L and any chronic musculoskeletal pain (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.27–1.51). Shift work and CRP were also associated with number of chronic pain sites. Mediation analysis indicated that shift work was indirectly associated with any chronic musculoskeletal pain through CRP (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.06). Conclusions The results support the hypothesis that shift work is associated with chronic musculoskeletal pain, and that systemic inflammation may be a biological mechanism linking shift work to chronic pain.
- Subjects
MUSCULOSKELETAL pain; SHIFT systems; SLEEP interruptions; CHRONIC pain; C-reactive protein
- Publication
Occupational Medicine, 2021, Vol 71, Issue 9, p422
- ISSN
0962-7480
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/occmed/kqab133