2007 Volume 19 Issue 1 Pages 17-23
Purpose and Methods
We investigated the relationship of the presence or absence of sleep disorder (awakeness that patients remembered)with blood sedimentation, a depression test (Zung’s self-rating depression scale, SDS), C reactive protein (CRP), and MHAQ in 207 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (32 males, 175 females), with a mean age of 58.3 years. We employed the values of blood sedimentation and CRP obtained within 1 month1from the date of this survey (mean: 11 days). Results
In patients with night awakeness, the blood sedimentation value was higher than that in those without night awakeness (57.1±35.4 vs. 47.5±30.2). The values of CRP (mg/dl) (2.71±3.05 vs. 1.69±2.02), SDS (39.5±8.3vs.34.4±8.4), MHAQ (6.8±6.8 vs. 3.6±4.5), and VAS (4.22±2.55 vs. 3.38±2.32) were significantly higher (p＜0.05). In addition, the frequency of night awakeness was classified: once, twice, and 3 times or more. In patients reporting a frequency of 1, the SDS score was significantly higher than that in patients without night awakeness. In those reporting a frequency of 2, the SDS and MHAQ scores were significantly higher, and in those reporting a frequency of 3 or more, the SDS, MHAQ, VAS, and face scale scores were significantly higher.
In patients with depression, the MHAQ, VAS, and face scale scores were significantly higher than the values in those without depression. However, there were no significant differences in blood sedimentation or CRP. Among the patients with night awakeness, in those who reported that they had awakened due to night pain, the blood sedimentation, CRP, MHAQ, VAS, and face scale values were higher than the values in those without night pain. In the group with night awakeness, excluding patients with night pain, the CRP level was higher than that in the group without night awakeness, although there was no significant difference. The SDS and MHAQ scores were significantly higher.
Discussion
The results of this study suggest that sleep disorder is related to RA-related pain, depression, and RA activity. Few studies have reported the relationship between RA and sleep disorder. In the future, this issue should be further investigated.
