title: Sleep disturbances in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: A standardized sleep questionnaire was used to investigate the sleeping habits of outpatients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) (n = 40) and RA (n = 42). Sleep deficit (difference between need of sleep and actual sleeping time) was significantly higher in patients with pSS when compared with healthy matched controls (P < 0.0001), and with patients suffering from RA (P < 0.001). When trying to fall asleep, patients with pSS were significantly more often disturbed by muscular tension (45%) and restless legs (24%), than patients with RA (12%, P < 0.01 and 2%, P < 0.01), and they were also significantly more troubled by nocturnal pain than patients with RA (P < 0.01). The pSS group reported significantly more disturbing by awakening during the night and was awake for longer periods than the RA group. Fatigue was a significantly more frequent complaint in patients with pSS. Polysomnography showed that all recorded patients (n = 10) had some sleep disturbances; reduced sleep efficiency (n = 8), increased number of awakenings (n = 5) and increased wakefulness surrounded by sleep (n = 9). Five patients had alpha intrusion in their sleep EEGs. The sleep disturbances seen in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome may contribute to the fatigue associated with this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gudbjörnsson
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Broman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hetta
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hällgren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012894:Sleep Stages; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires