Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39865174›Full record

Observational studyEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2025

Sleep characteristics and intervertebral disc degeneration risk: an observational and Mendelian randomization study.

Shiyong Zhang, Zixin Liang, Yanlin Zhong, Qingfeng Luo, Danni Wang, Bin Xia, Xudong Wang, Yunze Kang, Zijian Zhou, Puyi Sheng and 3 more

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. The role of sleep and circadian rhythms in intervertebral disc degeneration.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Shiyong Zhang *Department of Orthopedics, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China.
Zixin Liang *Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Clinical Big Data Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China.
Yanlin Zhong *Department of Joint Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
Qingfeng LuoChongqing Municipality Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Danni WangInstitute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Bin XiaDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Clinical Big Data Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China.
Xudong WangDepartment of Joint Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
Yunze KangDepartment of Joint Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
Zijian ZhouDepartment of Orthopedics, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China.
Puyi ShengDepartment of Joint Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
Jinqiu YuanDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Clinical Big Data Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China. yuanjq5@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Ziji ZhangDepartment of Joint Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China. zhangziji@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-7040-8576
Fuxin WeiDepartment of Orthopedics, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518000, Guangdong, China. weifuxin@mail.sysu.edu.cn.

Funding

Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province 2021B1515140056Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province 2023A1515110126Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province 2023A1515140147National Natural Science Foundation of China 81972135National Natural Science Foundation of China 82272534Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province 2021A1515010335Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province 2022A1515012279
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesSleep disorders are considered a risk factor for aging and skeletal degeneration, but their impact on intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to assess associations between sleep characteristics and IDD, and to identify potential causal relationships.

methodsExposure factors included six unhealthy sleep characteristics: insomnia, short sleep duration (< 7 h), long sleep duration (≥ 9 h), evening chronotype, daytime sleepiness, and snoring. The primary outcomes included cervical disc degeneration (CDD) and lumbar disc degeneration (LDD). Firstly, we examined the associations between sleep characteristics and IDD risk in 368,348 participants from the UK Biobank using Cox proportional hazards model. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were conducted to validate associations found in observational analyses, using genome-wide association data from the UK Biobank and FinnGen consortia.

resultsDuring a median follow-up time of 13.8 years, a total of 1,637 cases of CDD and 7,654 cases of LDD were identified. Observational analyses found that almost all unhealthy sleep characteristics were associated with an elevated risk of IDD, except snoring. Conversely, the risk of IDD decreased linearly with an increasing number of healthy sleep characteristics. MR analyses supported a causal association between genetically determined insomnia and increased risk of LDD (OR 1.25 [1.07-1.47]), and between short sleep duration and increased risk of both IDD phenotypes (OR 5.41 [1.95-15.01] for CDD; OR 3.48 [1.76-6.89] for LDD). However, long sleep duration was causally associated with a reduced risk of LDD (OR 0.13 [0.03-0.53]), which contrasts with the observational findings.

conclusionWe found associations between multiple sleep characteristics and IDD risk and confirmed that insomnia and short sleep duration increased IDD risk. Although more research is needed to confirm the underlying mechanisms, prioritizing interventions to improve sleep quality and ensure adequate sleep could help mitigate IDD.

Indexed as

Intervertebral Disc DegenerationSleepSleep Wake DisordersAdultAgedFemaleGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMaleMendelian Randomization AnalysisMiddle AgedRisk FactorsSleep Initiation and Maintenance DisordersUnited KingdomIntervertebral disc degeneration (IDD)Mendelian randomization (MR)Observational studySleep characteristicsThe UK Biobank

Identifiers

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.