导读：轮班工作会增加罹患肥胖症、高血压以及胰岛素抵抗症的风险率，并最终引发心血管疾病，而这与体内皮质醇水平的升高有着密切关系。弄清楚皮质醇类激素对轮班工人健康问题有影响，有助于开发出对这一特殊群体防治心血管疾病的新方法。
已有研究揭示体内皮质醇激素长期处于高水平的话会引发腹型肥胖、高血压、糖尿病以及心血管疾病。发表在《内分泌协会临床内分泌和代谢杂志》(JCEM)上的一项研究结果证实：我们年轻时经常性的轮班工作与体内皮质醇水平的升高以及体重指数(BMI)增加有着密切关系。
文中所说的轮班工作即主要是指在标准规定工作时间之外额外的工作，轮班工作会增加罹患肥胖症、高血压以及胰岛素抵抗症的风险率，并最终引发心血管疾病。轮班工作制（Shift work），在需要提供24小时不间断服务的工作场所，常实施轮班工作制，例如便利商店、医院的急诊室、电信公司的机房等。或是制造业在急单时，为发挥工厂的产能，因此将员工排轮班方式，以便24小时赶工。
这项研究证实了轮班工作导致了皮质醇水平的提高，并且这一改变是长期。这一结论从另一方面表明皮质醇类应激激素的增高可能是轮班工作人员心血管疾病风险增高的主要因素之一。
研究者收集了33份轮班工作人员以及89份只在白天工作（白班）的人员的头发样本，从这些头发样本中用甲醇提取出皮质醇，ELISA皮质醇激素试剂盒检测了皮质醇的水平。
结果发现轮班工作人员皮质醇激素水平出现了明显提高，尤其是年轻轮班工作人员以及年龄在40岁以上的人，皮质醇激素上升水平最大。
该篇论文的第一作者--荷兰鹿特丹Erasmus医学中心医学Laura Manenschijn博士表示：弄清楚皮质醇类激素对轮班工人健康问题有影响，有助于开发出对这一特殊群体防治心血管疾病的新方法。
Shift Work at Young Age Is Associated with Elevated Long-Term Cortisol Levels and Body Mass Index
Laura Manenschijn, Rulanda G. P. M. van Kruysbergen, Frank H. de Jong, Jan W. Koper and Elisabeth F. C. van Rossum
Background: The incidence of obesity and other features of the metabolic syndrome is increased in shift workers. This may be due to a misalignment between the internal circadian rhythm and the behavioral rhythm. The stress hormone cortisol could play a role in this phenomenon because it is secreted in a circadian rhythm, and long-term elevated cortisol leads to components of the metabolic syndrome. We compared cortisol levels in scalp hair of shift and day workers to study changes in long-term cortisol due to shift work.
Methods: Hair samples were collected from 33 shift workers and 89 day workers. Cortisol was extracted from the hair samples with methanol, and cortisol levels were measured using ELISA. Height and weight were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated.
Results: Shift workers had higher hair cortisol levels than day workers: 47.32 pg/mg hair [95% confidence interval (CI) = 38.37–58.21] vs. 29.72 pg/mg hair (95% CI = 26.18–33.73) (P < 0.001). When divided in age groups based on the median age, elevated cortisol levels were present only in younger shift workers: 48.53 pg/mg hair (95% CI = 36.56–64.29) vs. 26.42 pg/mg hair (95% CI = 22.91–30.55) (P < 0.001). BMI was increased in younger shift workers as well: 27.2 (95% CI = 25.5–28.8) vs. 23.7 (95% CI = 22.8–24.7) in young day workers (P = 0.001). Hair cortisol and BMI were positively correlated (β = 0.262; P = 0.005).
Conclusion: Shift work at a young adult age is associated with elevated long-term cortisol levels and increased BMI. Elevated cortisol levels and BMI may contribute to the increased cardiovascular risk found in shift workers.
