Evidence map›Paper›PMID 24349251›Full record

Trial reportPloS one2013

Effects of sustained sleep restriction on mitogen-stimulated cytokines, chemokines and T helper 1/ T helper 2 balance in humans.

John Axelsson, Javaid-ur Rehman, Torbjorn Akerstedt, Rolf Ekman, Gregory E Miller, Caroline Olgart Höglund, Mats Lekander

Open access · goldAbstract readClinical Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in PloS one, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 51 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
51citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
3.5field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

51 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 101 citations in OpenAlex.

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  12. Sleep disorders in hepatocellular carcinoma.World journal of gastrointestinal oncology · 2025
    Review
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  17. Circadian rhythm of cutaneous pruritus.Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2024
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.

John AxelssonDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden ; Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden ; Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Javaid-ur RehmanDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Torbjorn AkerstedtStress Research Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Rolf EkmanInstitute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Gregory E MillerDepartment of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Caroline Olgart HöglundOsher Center for Integrative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden ; Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Stockholm, Sweden ; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden ; Centre for Allergy Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Mats LekanderOsher Center for Integrative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden ; Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden ; Centre for Allergy Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Karolinska Institutet · SEStockholm University · SEKarolinska University Hospital · SEUniversity of British Columbia · CAUniversity of Gothenburg · SE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecent studies suggest that acute sleep deprivation disrupts cellular immune responses by shifting T helper (Th) cell activity towards a Th2 cytokine profile. Since little is known about more long-term effects, we investigated how five days of sleep restriction would affect pro-inflammatory, chemotactic, Th1- and Th2 cytokine secretion.

methodsNine healthy males participated in an experimental sleep protocol with two baseline sleep-wake cycles (sleep 23.00-07.00 h) followed by 5 days with restricted sleep (03.00-07.00 h). On the second baseline day and on the fifth day with restricted sleep, samples were drawn every third hour for determination of cytokines/chemokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL) -1β, IL-2, IL-4 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)) after in vitro stimulation of whole blood samples with the mitogen phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Also leukocyte numbers, mononuclear cells and cortisol were analysed.

results5-days of sleep restriction affected PHA-induced immune responses in several ways. There was a general decrease of IL-2 production (p<.05). A shift in Th1/Th2 cytokine balance was also evident, as determined by a decrease in IL2/IL4 ratio. No other main effects of restricted sleep were shown. Two significant interactions showed that restricted sleep resulted in increased TNF-α and MCP-1 in the late evening and early night hours (p's<.05). In addition, all variables varied across the 24 h day.

conclusions5-days of sleep restriction is characterized by a shift towards Th2 activity (i.e. lower 1L-2/IL-4 ratio) which is similar to the effects of acute sleep deprivation and psychological stress. This may have implications for people suffering from conditions characterized by excessive Th2 activity like in allergic disease, such as asthma, for whom restricted sleep could have negative consequences.

Indexed as

Th1-Th2 BalanceAdultChemokinesHumansHydrocortisoneLeukocyte CountMaleMitogensPhytohemagglutininsSleep DeprivationTh1 CellsTh2 CellsYoung AdultChemokinesHydrocortisoneMitogensPhytohemagglutinins

Identifiers

PMID24349251
PMCPMC3859577
OpenAlexW1974452187

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.