Associations between sleep duration and cardiovascular diseases: A meta-review and meta-analysis of observational and...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular epidemiology
• Sleep medicine
• Genetic epidemiology

Background:

• Observational studies suggest links between sleep duration and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), but causality remains uncertain.
• Specific CVDs like coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure (HF), and stroke require further causal investigation regarding sleep duration.
• Understanding the causal relationship between sleep patterns and cardiovascular health is crucial for public health initiatives.

Approach:

• Conducted a systematic meta-review and meta-analysis of observational and Mendelian randomization (MR) studies.
• Searched major databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase) for English-language articles published before September 10, 2021.
• Synthesized evidence on the impact of sleep duration on CAD, HF, stroke, and mortality, combining observational and MR findings.

Key Points:

• Short sleep duration is identified as a likely causal risk factor for CAD and HF.
• Long sleep duration shows associations with increased risk of CAD, stroke, and mortality in observational data, but MR studies do not support a causal link for stroke and CAD.
• Emerging evidence suggests that longer sleep duration may decrease CAD risk, warranting further investigation into the causal role of long sleep.

Conclusions:

• Short sleep duration represents a significant, potentially causal, risk factor for major cardiovascular diseases.
• While observational data link long sleep to adverse outcomes, Mendelian randomization studies do not confirm causality, suggesting complex relationships that need further research.
• Interventions aimed at optimizing sleep duration may offer a promising strategy for improving cardiovascular health and reducing disease burden.