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Sleep Disorder as a Triggering Factor for Relapse in Multiple Sclerosis
Mohammad Ali Sahraian1, Saeed Rezaali, Melina Hosseiny
1MS Research Center, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
European Neurology
|March 31, 2017
Summary
Poor sleep quality significantly increases the risk of acute relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Addressing sleep disturbances may help reduce the frequency of MS exacerbations.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease.
- Sleep disturbances are common in MS patients.
- The link between sleep quality and MS relapse is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between sleep disturbances and acute relapses in multiple sclerosis patients.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 80 MS patients (40 in remission, 40 in relapse).
- The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess sleep quality.
- Normal sleep quality was defined as a PSQI score of 5 or less.
Main Results:
- 87.5% of patients with acute MS relapses reported poor sleep quality compared to 50% of those in remission (p=0.0001).
- Poor sleep quality was associated with an odds ratio of 1.75 for acute relapse.
- Age, gender, disease duration, and EDSS score did not correlate with sleep quality.
Conclusions:
- Sleep disturbance may act as a trigger for acute MS exacerbations.
- Routine screening for sleep disorders in MS patients is recommended.
- Treating sleep disturbances could potentially reduce the incidence of MS relapses.