Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation: A multi-cohort study (2025)

Abstract

Aims Studies suggest that people who work long hours are at increased risk of stroke, but the association of long working hours with atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia and a risk factor for stroke, is unknown. We examined the risk of atrial fibrillation in individuals working long hours (≤55 per week) and those working standard 35-40 h/week. Methods and results In this prospective multi-cohort study from the Individual-Participant-Data Meta-Analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) Consortium, the study population was 85 494 working men and women (mean age 43.4 years) with no recorded atrial fibrillation. Working hours were assessed at study baseline (1991-2004). Mean follow-up for incident atrial fibrillation was 10 years and cases were defined using data on electrocardiograms, hospital records, drug reimbursement registers, and death certificates. We identified 1061 new cases of atrial fibrillation (10-year cumulative incidence 12.4 per 1000). After adjustment for age, sex and socioeconomic status, individuals working long hours had a 1.4-fold increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared with those working standard hours (hazard ratio = 1.42, 95% CI= 1.13-1.80, P= 0.003). There was no significant heterogeneity between the cohort-specific effect estimates (I2=0%, P = 0.66) and the finding remained after excluding participants with coronary heart disease or stroke at baseline or during the follow-up (N= 2006, hazard ratio= 1.36, 95% CI= 1.05-1.76, P = 0.0180). Adjustment for potential confounding factors, such as obesity, risky alcohol use and high blood pressure, had little impact on this association. Conclusion Individuals who worked long hours were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation than those working standard hours.

Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean Heart Journal
Volume38
Issue number34
Pages (from-to)2621-2628
Number of pages8
ISSN0195-668X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Sep 2017

Keywords

  • Atrial fibrillation
  • Cohort study
  • Life stress
  • Risk factors

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    Kivimäki, M., Nyberg, S. T., Batty, G. D., Kawachi, I., Jokela, M., Alfredsson, L., Bjorner, J. B., Borritz, M., Burr, H., Dragano, N., Fransson, E. I., Heikkilä, K., Knutsson, A., Koskenvuo, M., Kumari, M., Madsen, I. E. H., Nielsen, M. L., Nordin, M., Oksanen, T., ... Tabak, A. G. (2017). Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation: A multi-cohort study. European Heart Journal, 38(34), 2621-2628. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx324

    Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation : A multi-cohort study. / Kivimäki, Mika; Nyberg, Solja T.; Batty, G. David; Kawachi, Ichiro; Jokela, Markus; Alfredsson, Lars; Bjorner, Jakob B.; Borritz, Marianne; Burr, Hermann; Dragano, Nico; Fransson, Eleonor I.; Heikkilä, Katriina; Knutsson, Anders; Koskenvuo, Markku; Kumari, Meena; Madsen, Ida E.H.; Nielsen, Martin L.; Nordin, Maria; Oksanen, Tuula; Pejtersen, Jan H.; Pentti, Jaana; Rugulies, Reiner; Salo, Paula; Shipley, Martin J.; Suominen, Sakari; Theorell, Töres; Vahtera, Jussi; Westerholm, Peter; Westerlund, Hugo; Steptoe, Andrew; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Hamer, Mark; Ferrie, Jane E.; Virtanen, Marianna; Tabak, Adam G.

    In: European Heart Journal, Vol. 38, No. 34, 07.09.2017, p. 2621-2628.

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Kivimäki, M, Nyberg, ST, Batty, GD, Kawachi, I, Jokela, M, Alfredsson, L, Bjorner, JB, Borritz, M, Burr, H, Dragano, N, Fransson, EI, Heikkilä, K, Knutsson, A, Koskenvuo, M, Kumari, M, Madsen, IEH, Nielsen, ML, Nordin, M, Oksanen, T, Pejtersen, JH, Pentti, J, Rugulies, R, Salo, P, Shipley, MJ, Suominen, S, Theorell, T, Vahtera, J, Westerholm, P, Westerlund, H, Steptoe, A, Singh-Manoux, A, Hamer, M, Ferrie, JE, Virtanen, M & Tabak, AG 2017, 'Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation: A multi-cohort study', European Heart Journal, vol. 38, no. 34, pp. 2621-2628. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx324

    Kivimäki M, Nyberg ST, Batty GD, Kawachi I, Jokela M, Alfredsson L et al. Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation: A multi-cohort study. European Heart Journal. 2017 Sep 7;38(34):2621-2628. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx324

    Kivimäki, Mika ; Nyberg, Solja T. ; Batty, G. David ; Kawachi, Ichiro ; Jokela, Markus ; Alfredsson, Lars ; Bjorner, Jakob B. ; Borritz, Marianne ; Burr, Hermann ; Dragano, Nico ; Fransson, Eleonor I. ; Heikkilä, Katriina ; Knutsson, Anders ; Koskenvuo, Markku ; Kumari, Meena ; Madsen, Ida E.H. ; Nielsen, Martin L. ; Nordin, Maria ; Oksanen, Tuula ; Pejtersen, Jan H. ; Pentti, Jaana ; Rugulies, Reiner ; Salo, Paula ; Shipley, Martin J. ; Suominen, Sakari ; Theorell, Töres ; Vahtera, Jussi ; Westerholm, Peter ; Westerlund, Hugo ; Steptoe, Andrew ; Singh-Manoux, Archana ; Hamer, Mark ; Ferrie, Jane E. ; Virtanen, Marianna ; Tabak, Adam G. / Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation : A multi-cohort study. In: European Heart Journal. 2017 ; Vol. 38, No. 34. pp. 2621-2628.

    @article{b459e1dd39b14b5786715137047887f3,

    title = "Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation: A multi-cohort study",

    abstract = "Aims Studies suggest that people who work long hours are at increased risk of stroke, but the association of long working hours with atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia and a risk factor for stroke, is unknown. We examined the risk of atrial fibrillation in individuals working long hours (≤55 per week) and those working standard 35-40 h/week. Methods and results In this prospective multi-cohort study from the Individual-Participant-Data Meta-Analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) Consortium, the study population was 85 494 working men and women (mean age 43.4 years) with no recorded atrial fibrillation. Working hours were assessed at study baseline (1991-2004). Mean follow-up for incident atrial fibrillation was 10 years and cases were defined using data on electrocardiograms, hospital records, drug reimbursement registers, and death certificates. We identified 1061 new cases of atrial fibrillation (10-year cumulative incidence 12.4 per 1000). After adjustment for age, sex and socioeconomic status, individuals working long hours had a 1.4-fold increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared with those working standard hours (hazard ratio = 1.42, 95% CI= 1.13-1.80, P= 0.003). There was no significant heterogeneity between the cohort-specific effect estimates (I2=0%, P = 0.66) and the finding remained after excluding participants with coronary heart disease or stroke at baseline or during the follow-up (N= 2006, hazard ratio= 1.36, 95% CI= 1.05-1.76, P = 0.0180). Adjustment for potential confounding factors, such as obesity, risky alcohol use and high blood pressure, had little impact on this association. Conclusion Individuals who worked long hours were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation than those working standard hours.",

    keywords = "Atrial fibrillation, Cohort study, Life stress, Risk factors",

    author = "Mika Kivim{\"a}ki and Nyberg, {Solja T.} and Batty, {G. David} and Ichiro Kawachi and Markus Jokela and Lars Alfredsson and Bjorner, {Jakob B.} and Marianne Borritz and Hermann Burr and Nico Dragano and Fransson, {Eleonor I.} and Katriina Heikkil{\"a} and Anders Knutsson and Markku Koskenvuo and Meena Kumari and Madsen, {Ida E.H.} and Nielsen, {Martin L.} and Maria Nordin and Tuula Oksanen and Pejtersen, {Jan H.} and Jaana Pentti and Reiner Rugulies and Paula Salo and Shipley, {Martin J.} and Sakari Suominen and T{\"o}res Theorell and Jussi Vahtera and Peter Westerholm and Hugo Westerlund and Andrew Steptoe and Archana Singh-Manoux and Mark Hamer and Ferrie, {Jane E.} and Marianna Virtanen and Tabak, {Adam G.}",

    year = "2017",

    month = sep,

    day = "7",

    doi = "10.1093/eurheartj/ehx324",

    language = "English",

    volume = "38",

    pages = "2621--2628",

    journal = "European Heart Journal",

    issn = "0195-668X",

    publisher = "Oxford University Press",

    number = "34",

    }

    TY - JOUR

    T1 - Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation

    T2 - A multi-cohort study

    AU - Kivimäki, Mika

    AU - Nyberg, Solja T.

    AU - Batty, G. David

    AU - Kawachi, Ichiro

    AU - Jokela, Markus

    AU - Alfredsson, Lars

    AU - Bjorner, Jakob B.

    AU - Borritz, Marianne

    AU - Burr, Hermann

    AU - Dragano, Nico

    AU - Fransson, Eleonor I.

    AU - Heikkilä, Katriina

    AU - Knutsson, Anders

    AU - Koskenvuo, Markku

    AU - Kumari, Meena

    AU - Madsen, Ida E.H.

    AU - Nielsen, Martin L.

    AU - Nordin, Maria

    AU - Oksanen, Tuula

    AU - Pejtersen, Jan H.

    AU - Pentti, Jaana

    AU - Rugulies, Reiner

    AU - Salo, Paula

    AU - Shipley, Martin J.

    AU - Suominen, Sakari

    AU - Theorell, Töres

    AU - Vahtera, Jussi

    AU - Westerholm, Peter

    AU - Westerlund, Hugo

    AU - Steptoe, Andrew

    AU - Singh-Manoux, Archana

    AU - Hamer, Mark

    AU - Ferrie, Jane E.

    AU - Virtanen, Marianna

    AU - Tabak, Adam G.

    PY - 2017/9/7

    Y1 - 2017/9/7

    N2 - Aims Studies suggest that people who work long hours are at increased risk of stroke, but the association of long working hours with atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia and a risk factor for stroke, is unknown. We examined the risk of atrial fibrillation in individuals working long hours (≤55 per week) and those working standard 35-40 h/week. Methods and results In this prospective multi-cohort study from the Individual-Participant-Data Meta-Analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) Consortium, the study population was 85 494 working men and women (mean age 43.4 years) with no recorded atrial fibrillation. Working hours were assessed at study baseline (1991-2004). Mean follow-up for incident atrial fibrillation was 10 years and cases were defined using data on electrocardiograms, hospital records, drug reimbursement registers, and death certificates. We identified 1061 new cases of atrial fibrillation (10-year cumulative incidence 12.4 per 1000). After adjustment for age, sex and socioeconomic status, individuals working long hours had a 1.4-fold increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared with those working standard hours (hazard ratio = 1.42, 95% CI= 1.13-1.80, P= 0.003). There was no significant heterogeneity between the cohort-specific effect estimates (I2=0%, P = 0.66) and the finding remained after excluding participants with coronary heart disease or stroke at baseline or during the follow-up (N= 2006, hazard ratio= 1.36, 95% CI= 1.05-1.76, P = 0.0180). Adjustment for potential confounding factors, such as obesity, risky alcohol use and high blood pressure, had little impact on this association. Conclusion Individuals who worked long hours were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation than those working standard hours.

    AB - Aims Studies suggest that people who work long hours are at increased risk of stroke, but the association of long working hours with atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia and a risk factor for stroke, is unknown. We examined the risk of atrial fibrillation in individuals working long hours (≤55 per week) and those working standard 35-40 h/week. Methods and results In this prospective multi-cohort study from the Individual-Participant-Data Meta-Analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) Consortium, the study population was 85 494 working men and women (mean age 43.4 years) with no recorded atrial fibrillation. Working hours were assessed at study baseline (1991-2004). Mean follow-up for incident atrial fibrillation was 10 years and cases were defined using data on electrocardiograms, hospital records, drug reimbursement registers, and death certificates. We identified 1061 new cases of atrial fibrillation (10-year cumulative incidence 12.4 per 1000). After adjustment for age, sex and socioeconomic status, individuals working long hours had a 1.4-fold increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared with those working standard hours (hazard ratio = 1.42, 95% CI= 1.13-1.80, P= 0.003). There was no significant heterogeneity between the cohort-specific effect estimates (I2=0%, P = 0.66) and the finding remained after excluding participants with coronary heart disease or stroke at baseline or during the follow-up (N= 2006, hazard ratio= 1.36, 95% CI= 1.05-1.76, P = 0.0180). Adjustment for potential confounding factors, such as obesity, risky alcohol use and high blood pressure, had little impact on this association. Conclusion Individuals who worked long hours were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation than those working standard hours.

    KW - Atrial fibrillation

    KW - Cohort study

    KW - Life stress

    KW - Risk factors

    UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85029764375&partnerID=8YFLogxK

    U2 - 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx324

    DO - 10.1093/eurheartj/ehx324

    M3 - Journal article

    C2 - 28911189

    AN - SCOPUS:85029764375

    VL - 38

    SP - 2621

    EP - 2628

    JO - European Heart Journal

    JF - European Heart Journal

    SN - 0195-668X

    IS - 34

    ER -

    Long working hours as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation: A multi-cohort study (2025)
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