QTc interval and electrocardiographic changes by type of shift work. Issue 10 (21st June 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meloni, Michele; Setzu, Davide; Del Rio, Alberto; Campagna, Marcello; Cocco, Pierluigi
• Is Part Of: American journal of industrial medicine. Volume 56:Issue 10(2013:Oct.)
• Page Start: 1174
• Page End: 1179
• Publication Date: 2013-06-21
• Subjects: Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Médecine du travail -- Périodiques; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.22207
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-3586

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="ajim22207-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p> <italic>We conducted a cross sectional survey of electrocardiographic changes among shift‐workers</italic>.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajim22207-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p> <italic>We classified the electrocardiogram morphology, and measured the QTc interval in 91 male workers engaged in regular daily work‐shifts, 32 in 24 hr work‐shift (h24), and 93 in irregular 6 hr work‐shift (h6)</italic>.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajim22207-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p> <italic>With reference to daily workers, the QTc interval was prolonged among h6 workers (P < 0.001) and h24 workers (P < 0.005). The age‐ and obesity‐adjusted standardized prevalence ratio (SPR) of a borderline/prolonged QTc was 2.2‐fold among h6 workers (95% CI 1.2, 4.2); conduction disorders (SPR = 2.6; 95% CI 1.3, 5.2) and repolarization disorders (SPR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.0, 3.5) were also more frequently observed among h6 workers. Excluding 19 subjects with risk factors for prolonged QTc did not change the results</italic>.</p> </sec> <sec id="ajim22207-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p> <italic>Our study reveals significant changes in the ECG morphology in relation to shift‐work, especially in unpredictable and non‐standard working hours</italic>. Am. J. Ind. Med. 56:1174–1179, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>