Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41129148›Full record

ArticleJAMA network open2025

Light Exposure at Night and Cardiovascular Disease Incidence.

Daniel P Windred, Angus C Burns, Martin K Rutter, Jacqueline M Lane, Richa Saxena, Frank A J L Scheer, Sean W Cain, Andrew J K Phillips

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JAMA network open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Guideline
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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

8 authors.

Daniel P WindredFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute (Sleep Health), Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
Angus C BurnsDivision of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Martin K RutterDivision of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Gastroenterology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Jacqueline M LaneDivision of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Richa SaxenaDivision of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Frank A J L ScheerDivision of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Sean W CainFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute (Sleep Health), Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
Andrew J K PhillipsFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute (Sleep Health), Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Importance: Light at night causes circadian disruption, which is a known risk factor for adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, it is not well understood of cardiovascular diseases. Objective: To assess whether day and night light exposure is associated with incidence of cardiovascular diseases, and whether associations of light with cardiovascular diseases differ according to genetic susceptibility, sex, and age. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective cohort study analyzed cardiovascular disease records across 9.5 years (June 2013 to November 2022) from UK Biobank participants who wore light sensors in a naturalistic setting. Data were analyzed from September 2024 to July 2025. Exposure: Approximately 13 million hours of light exposure data, tracked by wrist-worn light sensors (1 week each), categorized into the 0 to 50th, 51st to 70th, 71st to 90th, and 91st to 100th percentiles. Main Outcomes and Measures: Incidence of coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and stroke after light tracking were derived from UK National Health Service records. Risks of cardiovascular diseases were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models (3 primary models adjusted at 3 levels) and reported as hazard ratios (HRs). Results: A total of 88 905 individuals were included (mean [SD] age, 62.4 [7.8] years; 50 577 female [56.9%]). Compared with individuals with dark nights (0-50th percentiles), those with the brightest nights (91st-100th percentiles) had significantly higher risks of developing coronary artery disease (adjusted HR [aHR], 1.32; 95% CI, 1.18-1.46), myocardial infarction (aHR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.26-1.71), heart failure (aHR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.34-1.81), atrial fibrillation (aHR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.18-1.46), and stroke (aHR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.06-1.55). These associations were robust after adjusting for established cardiovascular risk factors, including physical activity, smoking, alcohol, diet, sleep duration, socioeconomic status, and polygenic risk. Larger-magnitude associations of night light with risks of heart failure (P for interaction = .006) and coronary artery disease (P for interaction = .02) were observed for females, and larger-magnitude associations of night light with risks of heart failure (P for interaction = .04) and atrial fibrillation (P for interaction = .02) were observed for younger individuals in this cohort. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, night light exposure was a significant risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases among adults older than 40 years. These findings suggest that, in addition to current preventive measures, avoiding light at night may be a useful strategy for reducing risks of cardiovascular diseases.

Indexed as

Cardiovascular DiseasesCircadian RhythmLightAgedFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedProportional Hazards ModelsProspective StudiesRisk FactorsUnited Kingdom

Identifiers

PMID41129148
PMCPMC12550636

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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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.