BMC Public Health (May 2024)

Association between sleep patterns and galectin-3 in a Chinese community population

  • Lin Liu,
  • Juanying Zhen,
  • Shuyun Liu,
  • Lijie Ren,
  • Guoru Zhao,
  • Jianguo Liang,
  • Aimin Xu,
  • Chao Li,
  • Jun Wu,
  • Bernard Man Yung Cheung

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18811-4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract Background Irregular sleep patterns have been associated with inflammation. Galectin-3, a novel biomarker, plays an important role in inflammation. We investigated the relationship between sleep patterns and galectin-3 in a Chinese population. Methods A total of 1,058 participants from the Shenzhen-Hong Kong United Network on Cardiovascular Disease study were included in the analysis. Age and sex-adjusted linear regression models were employed to investigate the relationship between galectin-3 level and traditional metabolic biomarkers. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association among sleep disturbance, nighttime sleep duration, and daytime napping duration and elevated galectin-3, with elevated galectin-3 defined as galectin-3 level > 65.1 ng/ml. Results Of study participants, the mean age was 45.3 years and 54.3% were women. Waist circumference, natural logarithm (ln)-transformed triglyceride, and ln-transformed high sensitivity C-reactive protein were positively associated with galectin-3 level (age and sex-adjusted standardized β [95% confidence interval (CI)], 0.12 [0.04, 0.21], 0.11 [0.05, 0.17], and 0.08 [0.02, 0.14], respectively). Sleep disturbance was associated with elevated galectin-3 (odds ratio [95% CI], 1.68 [1.05, 2.68], compared to those without sleep disturbance) after adjusting for traditional metabolic biomarkers. No interaction was observed between galectin-3 and age, sex, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes on sleep disturbance. No association was found between nighttime sleep duration or daytime napping duration and elevated galectin-3. Conclusions Our study provides evidence of a significant association between sleep disturbance and elevated galectin-3 level, independent of traditional metabolic biomarkers. Screening and interventions on galectin-3 could assist in preventing sleep disturbance-induced inflammatory disease.

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