The circadian syndrome and its age-diverse impact on mortality: a comprehensive cohort study

This cohort study examines the association between circadian syndrome (CircS) and the risks of all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, focusing on various age groups. The analysis included 8,972 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Kaplan-Meier survival curves were employed to assess survival probabilities and Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to evaluate the impact of CircS on mortality. The findings revealed a CircS prevalence of 37.7%, significantly increasing with age ( P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier curves indicated a notable rise in both all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality within the CircS group, particularly among middle-aged individuals. Cox regression analysis confirmed significant associations of CircS with all-cause mortality (HR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.16–1.60) and CVD mortality (HR = 1.70, 95%CI: 1.25–2.32). Age-stratified analysis revealed that CircS had the strongest impact on mortality risk among middle-aged individuals, with significantly increased risks for all-cause mortality (HR = 1.61, 95%CI: 1.13–2.30) and CVD mortality (HR = 6.89, 95%CI: 2.79–17.02). Even after accounting for potential confounders, CVD mortality remained significantly elevated (HR = 4.52, 95%CI: 1.70-12.04). These findings demonstrate that CircS is significantly associated with CVD mortality in middle-aged individuals, even after full adjustment for potential confounders, underscoring the need for targeted screening and preventive measures in this age group. In contrast, after full adjustment, no significant associations were observed for all-cause mortality across any age group, nor for CVD mortality in younger or older adults. Further studies are needed to validate and generalize these results.