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Heart rate variability in male shift workers in automobile manufacturing factories in South Korea

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An Erratum to this article was published on 27 February 2015

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of circadian rhythm disruption on cardiovascular autonomic regulation by examining potential differences in heart rate variability (HRV) between day- and night-shift workers.

Methods

The study population consisted of 162 workers who worked both day and night shifts in two automobile manufacturing companies who underwent ambulatory 24-h electrocardiogram recording and completed questionnaires and sleep diaries. Both time and frequency domain indices of HRV were compared.

Results

HRV parameters (mean RR, SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, TP, HF, LF, LF/HF ratio) reflecting sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation varied less with activity in night-shift workers.

Conclusions

Circadian rhythm-mediated changes in autonomic regulation of the cardiovascular system were blunted in night-shift workers, which could contribute to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in overnight workers.

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Abbreviations

Mean RR:

Mean RR interval

SDNN:

Standard deviations of all NN intervals

RMSSD:

Square root of the mean squared differences of successive NN intervals

pNN50:

Proportion derived by dividing NN50 by the total number of NN interval

TP:

Total power

LF:

Low frequency (0.04–0.15 Hz)

HF:

High frequency (0.15–0.4 Hz)

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chuncheon, Republic of Korea

    Sangyoon Lee, Ho Kim, Dae-Hwan Kim, Myunggul Yum & Mia Son

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  1. Sangyoon Lee
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  2. Ho Kim
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  3. Dae-Hwan Kim
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  4. Myunggul Yum
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  5. Mia Son
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Correspondence to Mia Son.

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Lee, S., Kim, H., Kim, DH. et al. Heart rate variability in male shift workers in automobile manufacturing factories in South Korea. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 88, 895–902 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-014-1016-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-014-1016-8

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