#0147 Cohort study of long working hours and increase in blood high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentration: Mechanisms of overwork and cardiovascular disease
The Link Between Long Working Hours and Cardiovascular Disease
Long working hours can have a significant impact on one’s health and well-being. In fact, overwork is a known risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which involve lipid accumulation and inflammation, primarily affecting the heart and blood vessels. Now, while some studies associate work-related increases in blood pressure, diabetes, and lipid levels to the occurrence of CVD, these observations are based on erratic evidence. The specific mechanism of how overwork leads to the development of CVD is yet to be well understood.
The processes involved in CVD progression include the release of various inflammatory molecules. One such acute-phase molecule, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), is produced in the liver as part of the body’s inflammatory response. High levels of hsCRP can reveal underlying inflammation in the body. Thus, hsCRP is used as a biological indicator to predict the risk of developing CVD. To investigate the link between overwork and CVD, a group of researchers studied hsCRP levels in Korean workers, who are ranked fourth among workers from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries in terms of working hours.
This large-scale cohort study involved 56,953 healthy Korean adults who underwent regular health screenings and were initially free of CVD. Workers were grouped on the basis of weekly working hours, ranging from less than 40 hours per week to more than 61 hours per week. The study participants were monitored for 7 years, and any increase in hsCRP by 1 mg/L or more in this period was noted.
People who worked longer had a higher incidence of increase in hsCRP levels. Moreover, the risk of hsCRP increase was higher in subjects who worked for more than 61 hours weekly, as compared to those working for 40 hours or less.
These increases in hsCRP among those with long working hours were independent of other factors such as smoking, alcohol, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. hsCRP levels were also found to increase with a gradual rise in weekly working hours, revealing a dose-response relationship between working hours and CVD risk.
In summary, the evidence of increased hsCRP levels provides insights into the inflammatory link between overwork and CVD. It also attests to the importance of optimizing working hours and using the predictive value of hsCRP for CVD prevention in working individuals.
Link to original journal article:
https://academic.oup.com/joh/article/64/1/e12359/7249449
Title of the paper:
Cohort study of long working hours and increase in blood high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) concentration: Mechanisms of overwork and cardiovascular disease
Authors:
Woncheol Lee, Hyeon Woo Yim, Yeseong Lee
