The association between serum alpha klotho and circadian syndrome: data from NHANES 2007–2016

Background Circadian syndrome (CircS) is characterized by disrupted circadian rhythm. α-klotho, an anti-aging protein, has garnered particular attention recently. The study aimed to assess the associations of serum alpha klotho and CircS. Methods Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2016 were analyzed. CircS further encompasses sleep disorders and depression, in addition to the components of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Multivariate logistic regression, subgroup analysis and restricted cubic spline plot were used to analyze the associations. Results We found a negative relationship between circulating α-klotho and the risk of CircS. Using multivariate logistic regression models, we assessed the association between α-klotho and CircS while adjusting for potential confounders. Compared to the first quartile of klotho, the second quartile group showed 16% decrease in CirS risk (OR=0.84, 95%CI = 0.74-0.96, P = 0.012), and the third quartile group exhibited 21% decrease in CirS risk (OR=0.79, 95%CI = 0.69-0.91, p<0.001) after adjusting all demographic and lifestyle variables. Subgroup analyses revealed significant interactions between α-klotho and alcohol consumption (p=0.008). Additionally, we observed inverse association between α-klotho and odds ratio of CirS in a restricted cubic spline plot. Conclusion In this large cross-sectional study, our results suggest that higher serum α-klotho levels are significantly associated with a reduced likelihood of circadian syndrome in U.S. adults. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and elucidate the underlying mechanisms..