Circadian Rhythm Disorders in Elderly Patients With Lumbar Disc Herniation and Their Association With Serum Inflammatory Factors: A Retrospective Study

Objective Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a prevalent degenerative condition of the spine. This study aimed to explore the relationship between LDH and circadian rhythm (CR) disorders. Materials and Methods This single‐center retrospective study included all patients presenting with LDH between April 2023 and April 2025. CR disorders were evaluated using the Chinese version of the Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (C‐BRIAN) scale. The severity of intervertebral disc degeneration was graded according to the Pfirrmann classification system based on magnetic resonance imaging. Serum concentrations of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) were quantified as inflammatory biomarkers. Low back pain intensity was assessed with the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), while the resultant functional disability was determined using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Results A total of 140 patients were included in the final analysis. The analysis revealed that higher Pfirrmann grades were strongly associated with elevated C‐BRIAN scores ( p < 0.001), indicating concurrent disruptions across sleep, activity, social, and dietary domains. This relationship was quantified by a significant positive correlation ( r = 0.663, p < 0.01), and linear regression confirmed Pfirrmann grade as a significant predictor of C‐BRIAN scores ( b = 4.120, p < 0.01). Furthermore, C‐BRIAN scores showed significant positive correlations with serum levels of IL‐6 ( r = 0.593, p < 0.01) and hs‐CRP ( r = 0.631, p < 0.01). Conclusion CR disorders are prevalent among patients with LDH and are positively correlated with the severity of disc degeneration. CR disorders are linked to elevated levels of the inflammatory markers IL‐6 and hs‐CRP.