Abstract
Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by systemic inflammation, leading to joint damage and various comorbidities, including sleep disorders. Sleep disturbances are prevalent among RA patients and can exacerbate disease symptoms, potentially influencing inflammatory markers and anemia indicators.
Objectives: This study investigates the correlation between sleep disorders, inflammatory markers, and anemia indicators in RA patients.
Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients diagnosed with RA referred to Imam Hossein Hospital, Tehran in 2023. The research involved collecting clinical and laboratory data, including sleep quality assessments using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and measurements of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and anemia indicators, including hemoglobin (Hb) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Data collection was conducted in two stages: first, demographic information and sleep quality were assessed through self-reported questionnaires, followed by blood tests to measure inflammatory and anemia indicators. The correlation between sleep quality and inflammatory and anemia indicators was assessed using logistic regression.
Results: The findings revealed that among 59 RA Patients, with a mean age of 53.98 ± 10.37 years, only 28.8% exhibited good sleep quality, while a substantial 71.2% experienced poor sleep quality. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that there was no statistically significant relationship between sleep quality and various inflammatory and anemia markers, including ESR, CRP, Hb, and MCV (P>0.05).
Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings reveal a high prevalence of poor sleep quality among RA patients. Importantly, this poor sleep quality appears to be independent of inflammatory and anemia markers, suggesting that other factors may contribute to sleep disturbances in this population. Further investigation is warranted to better understand the underlying causes of these sleep issues.