Rheumatoid arthritis linked to poor sleep

SEATTLE, June 13 (UPI) -- Treating depression in women with rheumatoid arthritis may improve sleep as well as lessen pain and improve medication use U.S. researchers said.

Results indicate that length of time since rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis, rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, level of pain, depression symptoms and adherence to medications for rheumatoid arthritis may cause women suffering from the disease to have poor sleep quality.

Lead author Faith Luyster of the University of Pittsburgh emphasizes the need for further research concerning poor rheumatoid arthritis medication adherence and sleep quality.

The study involved 133 women with rheumatoid arthritis, with an average age of 56, who were primarily Caucasian, married, had at least a high school education, were not depressed and had rheumatoid arthritis for 14.76 years.

Seventy-one percent of the study subjects reported poor sleep quality. Pain and depression were measured through subjective reports and medication adherence was measured objectively with an electronic medication monitor on medication bottle caps, the researchers say.

Sleep disturbances and depression are more prevalent among women in the general population, Luyster says.

The findings were presented at Sleep, the 23rd annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Seattle.