Assessment of sleep disturbance in patients with Wilson's disease

Wilson's disease (WD) is frequently manifested with anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance; this investigation aimed to elucidate these manifestations and identify the influencing factors of sleep disturbance.

Sleep disturbance, anxiety and depression were compared in 42 WD and 40 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. 27 individuals indicated a neurological form of the disease (NV), and 15 had a non-neurological variant (NNV).

This investigation revealed that the Parkinson's disease sleep scale (PDSS) score of WD individuals was lower, whereas their Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores were higher than the healthy individuals (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the WD subjects had markedly increased prevalence of poor sleep quality, anxiety, and depression than healthy individuals (p < 0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that NV subjects had significantly higher scores on the UWDRS, PSQI, HAMA, and HAMD scales than those in the NV group, as well as higher rates of EDS, anxiety, and depression (p < 0.05). In patients with sleep disturbance, we identified UWDRS, neurological variant, and depression as associated factors. The linear regression model demonstrated depression as the dominant risk factor.

Depression is highly correlated with and is a determinant of sleep disturbance in WD patients.