Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with higher than moderate disease activity had higher Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores than those with lower than moderate disease activity, according to a recent study. Researchers sought to test whether clinical, autoimmune, and psychological factors are associated with sleep disturbance in systemic sclerosis (SSc) compared to RA patients and controls. They evaluated 101 female subjects (SSc=33, RA=34, healthy controls=34) using the PSQI and other assessment and found:

• In SSc patients, PSQI scores were higher than in RA patients and controls.

• Linear regression analysis showed that in RA patients, disease activity score (DAS28) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were associated with PSQI scores.

• SSc patients treated with immunosuppressants had lower PSQI scores compared to those not on therapy, whereas only corticosteroid treatment was significantly associated with higher PSQI scores in RA patients.

Citation: Bagnato GL, Fiornza A, Cordova F, et al. Clinical, autoimmune, and psychiatric parameters correlate with sleep disturbance in patients with systemic sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. [Published online ahead of print May 10, 2016]. Clin Exp Rheumatol.