Non-traditional shift work schedules lead to higher rates of kidney disruption and injury

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Mar 15 2021

A disruption to organ rhythms caused by shift work is a key factor in injury-induced disease development, according to a new research article published in the America Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology. Scientists mimicked a shift work schedule in rats and found it not only led to a slowdown in rhythmic flow of the renal system, but also contributed to increased detection of kidney injury in their urine. This result indicates a possible relationship between rhythmic kidney function and renal damage. The paper has been chosen as an APSselect article for March.

Non-traditional shift work schedules-;hours outside the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday-;have long been associated with multiple health disorders. More than 15 million Americans work a shift work schedule, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, there has been no specific link identified between shift work and diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.

The researchers' findings are a "big deal," said study co-author Atlantis Hill, PhD, of Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.

While there are many factors that contribute to the increased health risks associated with shift work, this study demonstrates the relationship between organ rhythms and injury, revealing an organ-specific effect associated with long-term disruption of organ processes and a potential underlying cause for diseases common amongst shift workers."

Atlantis Hill, Study Co-Author

Hill said the goal is that her team's findings will lead to targeted treatments and policies to prevent diseases prevalent in people who are employed on a shift work schedule.