Sleep disorders in cirrhotics; how can we detect ?

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Hepatology
• Sleep Medicine

Background:

• Sleep disorders (SDs) are frequent in cirrhosis patients, often linked to hepatic encephalopathy and impacting daily life.
• Current diagnostic methods for SDs in cirrhotics are time-consuming and impractical for routine clinical use.
• Early and efficient diagnosis of SDs is crucial for managing cirrhosis patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sleep disorders and associated clinical parameters in cirrhosis patients.
• To evaluate the utility of the Sleep Timing and Sleep Quality Screening questionnaire (STSQS) for diagnosing SDs in cirrhosis.
• To assess the correlation between STSQS and the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for SD diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 131 cirrhotic patients and 18 age-matched healthy volunteers.
• Exclusion criteria included neuropsychiatric disease and substance use affecting sleep.
• Both groups completed validated Turkish versions of the PSQI and STSQS; SD was defined by PSQI score >5 or STSQS ≥5.

Main Results:

• Sleep disorders were detected in 56.5% of cirrhotics by PSQI and 49.6% by STSQS, compared to 27.8% and 16.7% in controls, respectively.
• SDs were more common in patients with hypoalbuminemia, low hemoglobin, and decompensated cirrhosis.
• The STSQS demonstrated a statistically significant correlation with the PSQI for diagnosing SDs in this cohort.

Conclusions:

• Sleep disorders are highly prevalent in patients with cirrhosis.
• The STSQS is a suitable and practical tool for the diagnosis of SDs in cirrhotic patients.
• The STSQS can be effectively utilized in outpatient clinics for cirrhotic patients.