title: Sleep quality and factors affecting sleep in elderly patientswith rheumatoid arthritis in Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sleep disorders are more common in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We aimed to determine the sleep quality in adult and elderly people with RA and the factors associated with sleep disorders in each group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted with 182 patients (83 elderly and 99 adult patients) diagnosed with RA. Data were collected through a patient identification form including sociodemographic and disease characteristics. The Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to assess quality of life and sleep.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean PSQI scores of the elderly group were lower than those of adult subjects (P = 0.055). Patients in remission and those with knee involvement had significantly lower PSQI scores (P < 0.05). Mean PSQI scores of elderly single patients and subjects with sleep disorders and restless leg syndrome were significantly higher (P < 0.05). In elderly subjects, the pain and HAQ scores were positively correlated with the PSQI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sleep quality of elderly rheumatoid arthritis patients was determined to be worse than that of adults; however, the difference was not statistically different. Factors negatively affecting sleep included pain, joints involved, high disease activity, and restless leg syndrome.
authors: Department of Nursing, School of Health, Uludağ University, Bursa, Turkey.
authors: Seda
authors: S
authors: Pehlivan
authors: Nursing of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Nursing, Ege University, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Ayfer
authors: A
authors: Karadakovan
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Uludağ University, Bursa, Turkey.
authors: Yavuz
authors: Y
authors: Pehlivan
authors: Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Şahinbey Medical Center, Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors: Ahmet Mesut
authors: AM
authors: Onat
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D012890:Sleep; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey
keywords: Aged; rheumatoid arthritis; sleep quality