Young night shift workers at higher risk of kidney stones, study finds

New Delhi: Young workers on night shifts face an increased risk of developing kidney stones, according to a recent study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

The research, based on data from over 220,000 participants followed for a median of 13.7 years, found that shift workers had a 15 per cent higher risk of kidney stone formation. The risk was particularly pronounced among younger employees and those with low levels of manual labor.

Factors such as body mass index (BMI), fluid intake, smoking, sleep patterns, and other lifestyle habits were identified as contributing to the increased risk, the study noted. Long-term shift work, especially night shifts, can disrupt circadian rhythms, alter metabolism and hormone secretion, and impact overall health.

Lead investigator Yin Yang, from the Department of Epidemiology at Sun Yat-sen University in China, said, “We found that shift work is associated with a higher risk of kidney stone events; an association that is partially mediated by several lifestyle factors, including smoking, sleep, fluid intake, and BMI.”

Kidney stones are a common and largely preventable urological condition, with prevalence estimates ranging from 1 to 13 per cent worldwide. The condition has been linked to higher risks of cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and renal failure, imposing a significant long-term health burden.

In an accompanying editorial, Felix Knauf from the Mayo Clinic’s Division of Nephrology and Hypertension highlighted that the greatest risk was observed among night shift workers. He explained, “A central effect of shift work is the disruption of circadian rhythms. Homeostasis and health are underpinned by physiologic systems, virtually all of which are governed by the biologic clock that dictates the periodicity, tempo, and physiologic effects of circadian rhythms.”