Sleep Disorders Among Patients Diagnosed with Chronic Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review

Chronic pancreatitis is associated with various sleep disorders, impacting patients' quality of life. This systematic review aimed to synthesize existing evidence on the prevalence, associated risk factors, and health-related quality of life impacts of sleep disorders among patients diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis.

We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, EBSCO, Google Scholar, and Shodhganga for studies published between January 1, 1990 and May 31, 2024, using predefined keywords and MeSH terms related to chronic pancreatitis, sleep disorders, and sleep quality, following our PROSPERO-registered protocol. The review exclusively focused on English-published studies because of limited resources, potentially introducing language bias. Gray literature was explored via Shodhganga and Google Scholar. The review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024547787). Eligible studies included those that investigated sleep disorders or sleep quality among patients diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. The methodological quality of all included studies was appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. Study selection and data extraction were performed independently by three reviewers, with discrepancies resolved by consensus or adjudication to reduce selection bias.

Out of 995 records, 9 studies were included after screening. These comprised six cross-sectional studies, one prospective cohort, and two retrospective cohort studies. Studies reported sleep disorder prevalence ranging from 33 to 81.6%. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Insomnia Severity Index served as the primary assessment tools across the studies. Most studies demonstrated high methodological quality, with eight scoring ≥ 7 on the JBI checklist.

This systematic review revealed a high prevalence of sleep disorders in patients with chronic pancreatitis, underscoring the poor sleep quality in this population. These disturbances adversely affect the overall quality of life, emphasizing the need to integrate sleep management into comprehensive care.