SLEep among diabetic patients and their GlycaEmic control (SLEDGE): A pilot observational study

Recent cohort studies have proven the association between sleep deprivation and adverse glycemic control (GC). The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), a subjective measure of sleep deprivation, among type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) patients and its association with GC.

This cross-sectional study was conducted between July 2015 and June 2016 in five diabetes clinics in the district of Erode, Tamil Nadu, India. An equal number of consenting patients with T2DM was recruited consecutively from each of the centers, and EDS was measured subjectively using the Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), whereas GC was assessed using HbA1c levels.

In all, 126 patients were screened and 102 were found eligible for the study. The prevalence of EDS was 17.5% (95% confidence interval 10.13-24.87). The association between ESS scores and HbA1c levels was analyzed using linear regression after adjusting for age, dietary intake, inflammatory markers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale score): for every unit increase in the ESS score, HbA1c increased by 0.143 g/dL (P < 0.001).

Subjective EDS was seen in approximately one-quarter of patients with diabetes in our population. There was a positive association between EDS and glycemic control. Screening of patients with diabetes for EDS should be part of routine diabetes management.