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Work-influenced circadian disruption is associated with cardiometabolic disease risk indicators but not microbiome composition in nurses

In a cohort of 75 Philadelphia nurses, circadian rhythm disruption (CRD) was associated with higher cardiometabolic risk indicators such as hs-CRP, triglycerides, and blood pressure, and with unfavorable work environment factors (e.g., less break time, fewer staff/resources). However, CRD variables were not significantly associated with gut microbiome profiles. Lower exercise, higher exhaustion, less mealtime, and night shifts were specific CRD-related factors linked to elevated risk markers.

Last updated: Aug 10, 2026โ€ข0 RCTsโ€ข๐Ÿ“– Read as article โ†’

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCTโ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†
Meta-analysisโ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†โ˜†
Mechanismโ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…
Safetyโ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…โ˜†
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Work-Influenced Circadian Disruption Connected to Disease Risk but Not Microbiomes in a Cohort of Philadelphia Nurses.

observational

Super C, Asif M, Compher C, Schurr TG, Hoke MK ยท American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council (2026)

Participants: 75
Duration: Not specified
Intervention: Observational assessment of circadian rhythm disruption (CRD) via surveys (sleep/exhaustion, exercise, mealtime, shift work) and work environment variables
Outcome: Cardiometabolic disease risk indicators (triglycerides, hs-CRP, blood pressure) and fecal gut microbiome composition
Effect Size: N/A (beta coefficients reported, e.g., exercise and hs-CRP ฮฒ=-4.2, p=0.05; night shift and BP ฮฒ=6.3, p=0.01)
Population: 75 nurses in Philadelphia

Result: In a cohort of 75 Philadelphia nurses, circadian rhythm disruption (CRD) was associated with higher cardiometabolic risk indicators such as hs-CRP, triglycerides, and blood pressure, and with unfavorable work environment factors (e.g., less break time, fewer staff/resources). However, CRD variables were not significantly associated with gut microbiome profiles. Lower exercise, higher exhaustion, less mealtime, and night shifts were specific CRD-related factors linked to elevated risk markers.

PubMed: 42557889DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.70314

Mechanism Graph

Circadian disruption alters behavioral and physiological rhythms
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Disruption leads to changes in exercise, eating patterns, and stress/exhaustion
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These changes increase cardiometabolic risk markers (e.g., inflammation, blood pressure)
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Microbiome composition is not directly affected by CRD in this cohort

Limitations

  • โš Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference
  • โš Sample size is relatively small (n=75) and limited to nurses in one city
  • โš CRD was self-reported via surveys, not objectively measured (e.g., actigraphy or melatonin)
  • โš Microbiome analysis may lack power to detect subtle differences

Frequently Asked Questions

What is work-influenced circadian disruption (WICD)?โ–ผ

WICD is a concept proposed in this study to describe circadian rhythm disruption that is influenced by work environment factors, such as shift work, break times, and staff resources.

Did circadian disruption affect gut microbiome in nurses?โ–ผ

No, the study found no significant association between CRD variables and microbiome profiles, suggesting that the link between CRD and disease risk may operate through other pathways.

Which work environment factors were associated with circadian disruption?โ–ผ

Lower exercise levels were associated with less break time, higher exhaustion was linked to fewer staff/resources, and less mealtime was associated with shorter breaks.

What were the main disease risk indicators affected by circadian disruption?โ–ผ

Higher hs-CRP, triglycerides, and blood pressure were associated with CRD-related factors like lower exercise, higher exhaustion, less mealtime, and night shifts.

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References

  1. 1.Super C, Asif M, Compher C, Schurr TG, Hoke MK. "Work-Influenced Circadian Disruption Connected to Disease Risk but Not Microbiomes in a Cohort of Philadelphia Nurses.." American journal of human biology : the official journal of the Human Biology Council, 2026. PMID: 42557889 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.70314
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.