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. 2023 Mar 24;24(1):91.
doi: 10.1186/s12931-023-02390-w.

Intense solar activity reduces urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin in patients with COPD

Carolina L Zilli Vieira  1 , Petros Koutrakis  2 , Man Liu  2 , Daniel J Gottlieb  3   4 , Eric Garshick  3   4   5
Affiliations

Intense solar activity reduces urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin in patients with COPD

Carolina L Zilli Vieira et al. Respir Res. .

Abstract

Background: Little is known about the link between solar activity and variations in melatonin. In this study, we investigated if melatonin's major urinary metabolite, urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), is lowest under periods of intense solar activity.

Methods: We investigated associations between high-energy solar particle events [Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) mass, speed and energy] on creatinine-adjusted aMT6s (aMT6sr) concentrations in 140 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using up to four seasonal urine samples (n = 440). Mixed effect models with a random intercept for each subject were used to estimate associations, including effect modification attributable to diabetes, obesity, and reduced pulmonary function.

Results: Higher values of CME were associated with reduced aMT6sr concentrations, with stronger associations in patients with diabetes. An interquartile range (IQR) increase in natural log CMEspeed averaged through two days before urine collection was associated with a reduction of 9.3% aMT6sr (95%CI: - 17.1%, - 0.8%) in aMT6sr. There was a greater reduction in aMT6sr in patients with diabetes (- 24.5%; 95%CI: - 35.9%, - 11.6%). In patients without diabetes there was no meaningful association (- 2.2%; 95%CI: - 12%, 8.4%). There were similar associations with CMEenergy and CMEmass. There was no effect modification attributable to reduced pulmonary function or obesity.

Conclusions: This is the first study in patients with COPD to demonstrate strong detrimental impact of high-energy solar particle events on aMT6sr, with greater associations in patients with diabetes. Since melatonin is an anti-oxidant, it is possible that adverse effects of intense solar activity may be attributable to a reduction in circulating melatonin and that patients with both COPD and diabetes may be more susceptible.

Keywords: And diabetes mellitus; Circadian rhythm disruption; Intense solar activity; Pulmonary disease; Urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Associations of natural log CME (energy, mass, and speed) with aMT6s/Creatinine ratio. The primary models included a single exposure variable (log corona mass ejection energy, speed or mass) and model covariates
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Associations of natural log CME with aMT6s/creatinine ratio modified by diabetes. Effect modification of diabetes. The models included a single exposure variable (log corona mass ejection energy, speed or mass) and model covariates
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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