Chronobiological Evaluation of Pediatric Vasovagal Syncope in Relation to Lunar Phases: A Retrospective Study

A bstract Objective: The lunar cycle has long been suggested to influence various physiological and neurological processes; however, its potential effect on pediatric vasovagal syncope (VVS) has not been previously investigated. This study aimed to evaluate whether lunar phases are associated with the occurrence and clinical characteristics of VVS in children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 49 pediatric patients (aged 5–18 years) diagnosed with VVS and followed-up at a tertiary care pediatric neurology clinic between August 2019 and April 2022. Demographic characteristics, age at symptom onset, duration of syncope episodes, and the corresponding lunar phase at the time of each episode were recorded. Lunar phases were classified as new moon, first quarter, full moon, and third quarter. Results: The mean age of the patients was 13.34 ± 4.77 years, and 71.4% were female. No statistically significant differences were observed among lunar phases in terms of patient age, duration of syncope episodes, or age at symptom onset ( P > 0.05 for all). However, descriptive trends suggested that syncope episodes appeared to be longest during the third quarter phase and shortest during the full moon, while the age at onset appeared to be lower during the third quarter phase and higher during the new moon. Conclusion: Although no statistically significant association was identified, the findings should be interpreted cautiously and considered hypothesis-generating rather than definitive. Further large-scale, prospective studies are needed to clarify this potential relationship.