New UK Research Connects Night Shift Work to Severe Asthma in Women

• Women who work night shifts have a higher risk of developing moderate to severe asthma than women who work day shifts
• There was a gender-specific vulnerability, as men did not show a similar elevated risk
  
   

A new study by Dr. Robert Maidstone of the University of Manchester, UK, has established that women who have night shifts are far more likely to have moderate to severe asthma than women with day-only jobs. The research, in ‘ERJ Open Research’, assessed health information from more than 270,000 working UK adults in the UK Biobank. Whereas 5.3 percent of the participants were asthmatic, 1.9 percent had moderate to severe types requiring preventive inhalers and supplementary treatments such as steroids.

The findings indicated that female workers who worked only night shifts had approximately a 50 percent increased risk of having moderate to severe asthma. The additional risk was not noted among men, whose rates of asthma were similar regardless of working schedule. Scientists hypothesize that perturbation of the body's natural circadian rhythm and hormonal differences can account for the increased susceptibility in women.

Interestingly, women postmenopausal but not on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were at even greater risk, calling into question whether HRT could provide some protection. Although the research doesn't provide a clear cause, it points to the necessity of more investigation into the effects of shift work and hormones on women's lung health. Specialists emphasize the significance of early diagnosis and medical advice for night-shift-working females who have breathing problems.