Relationship between shift work and liver enzymes: a cross-sectional study based on the Korea National Health and Examination Survey (2007-2015)

Background: Shift work has well-known adverse effects on health. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between shift work and hepatic disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the association between shift work and abnormal level of liver enzymes.

Methods: The aggregated data from the 2007-2009, 2010-2012, and 2013-2015 cycles of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used for this study. The χ² test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to assess relationship between shift work and abnormal level of liver enzymes stratified by gender.

Results: The odds ratio (OR) of abnormal serum level of alanine aminotransferase (abnormal ALT) in female shift workers was higher with 1.31 (95% confidence interval: 1.00-1.71) compared with day workers after adjusting for covariates. After dividing into subgroups of the shift work pattern, the ORs of abnormal liver enzymes for each pattern compared with day work were not significantly higher.

Conclusions: This study provides limited support for the hypothesis that shift work is related to liver enzyme abnormalities, but offers some evidence in favor of the idea that shift work affects female workers more than males on abnormal ALT. Further studies are needed to define the relationship between shift work and abnormal liver enzymes to be carried out as well as the gender difference in the association.