Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study
Nighttime light exposure and cardiac structure and function
- Prospective cohort study
- population-based
- UK Biobank
- multivariable-adjusted
Authors' conclusion
Greater nighttime light exposure was associated with adverse cardiac remodelling and subclinical functional decline across multiple chambers, statistically mediated by shorter sleep duration.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants with 7-day wrist accelerometer with light sensor (2013–2015) and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) 3 years laterCMR cohort
- Participants
- 11,071 participants
- Exposure
- High vs no nighttime light exposure >3 lux
- Outcome
- CMR phenotypes of cardiac structure and function
- Follow-up
- CMR 3 years after baseline
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
CMR phenotypes (multivariable-adjusted)
High vs NoneDifference
greater LV mass indexed to height1.7
2.4%(95% CI 1.6%–3.1%)
greater mean wall thickness
1.5%(CI 1.0%–2.0%)
lower myocardial contraction fraction
1.9%(CI 1.1%–2.7%)
- Lower absolute global left ventricular (LV) circumferential strain
- −2.7% (−3.7%, −1.7%)
- Lower absolute global LV radial strain
- −2.9% (−3.9%, −1.8%)
- Lower absolute global LV longitudinal strain
- −2.8% (−3.9%, −1.7%)
- Greater RV end-diastolic volume indexed
- 0.9% (0.1%, 1.8%)
- Greater RV end-systolic volume indexed
- 1.6% (0.5%, 2.8%)
- Greater left atrial maximum volume indexed
- 2.3% (0.7%, 3.9%)
- Lower left atrial ejection fraction
- 1.1% (0.3%, 1.9%)
- All associations linear dose-response, mostly partly mediated by shorter sleep duration (proportion mediated)
- 24%-49%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | higher risk (%) (CI) |
|---|---|
| Incident CVD outcomes and mortality (high vs none) · 8-10 years of follow-up — High vs None · HF | 29 (12%–49%) |
| Incident CVD outcomes and mortality (high vs none) · 8-10 years of follow-up — High vs None · AF | 15 (4%–27%) |
| Incident CVD outcomes and mortality (high vs none) · 8-10 years of follow-up — High vs None · MI | 24 (7%–44%) |
| Incident CVD outcomes and mortality (high vs none) · 8-10 years of follow-up — High vs None · stroke | 33 (11%–59%) |
| Incident CVD outcomes and mortality (high vs none) · 8-10 years of follow-up — High vs None · CVD mortality | 26 (5%–52%) |
- Incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes and mortality (high vs none): Cox models, n = 73 286
Original publication
Nighttime light exposure and cardiac structure and function. Eur Heart J. Published 9 September 2026. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehag563
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it