Motoh Iwasa1, Yoshiyasu Karino2, Takumi Kawaguchi3, Hiroyuki Nakanishi4, Hisamitsu Miyaaki5, Makoto Shiraki6, Tomoaki Nakajima2, Yasuhiko Sawada7, Hitoshi Yoshiji7, Kiwamu Okita8, Kazuhiko Koike9. 1. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan. 2. Department of Hepatology, Sapporo Kosei General Hospital, Sapporo, Japan. 3. Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan. 4. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Musashino Red Cross Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. 5. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan. 6. Department of Gastroenterology/Internal Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan. 7. Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan. 8. Shunan Memorial Hospital, Yamaguchi, Japan. 9. Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although muscle cramps frequently occur in patients with cirrhosis, the importance of muscle cramps remains unclear. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship of muscle cramps with quality of life (QOL) and sleep disturbance. In addition, this multi-institutional collaborative study in Japan investigated factors associated with muscle cramps in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: A total of 1788 patients with chronic liver diseases including both non-cirrhosis and cirrhosis completed a questionnaire survey investigating: (i) frequency of muscle cramps, (ii) relationship of muscle cramps to poor QOL and sleep disturbance, (iii) characteristics of patients who require therapeutic intervention and (iv) characteristics of patients prone to experiencing muscle cramps. RESULTS: This study revealed that 51.8% of patients with cirrhosis have experienced muscle cramps. People who experienced muscle cramps were more likely to have reduced QOL and sleep disturbance if muscle cramps had (i) high frequency (occurring daily to a few times per week, P < .01); (ii) long duration (between a few minutes and a few hours, P < .01) and (iii) intense severity (visual analogue scale ≥4, P < .01). Age, female sex, positive results for hepatitis C virus, low serum albumin concentration, and cirrhosis were independent factors related to the severity of muscle cramps. CONCLUSION: Muscle cramps occurred with great frequency and were associated with various factors such as age, sex, hepatitis C virus and liver function. Many patients experience poor QOL (26.3%) due to muscle cramps, and therapeutic interventions are therefore needed.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although muscle cramps frequently occur in patients with cirrhosis, the importance of muscle cramps remains unclear. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship of muscle cramps with quality of life (QOL) and sleep disturbance. In addition, this multi-institutional collaborative study in Japan investigated factors associated with muscle cramps in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: A total of 1788 patients with chronic liver diseases including both non-cirrhosis and cirrhosis completed a questionnaire survey investigating: (i) frequency of muscle cramps, (ii) relationship of muscle cramps to poor QOL and sleep disturbance, (iii) characteristics of patients who require therapeutic intervention and (iv) characteristics of patients prone to experiencing muscle cramps. RESULTS: This study revealed that 51.8% of patients with cirrhosis have experienced muscle cramps. People who experienced muscle cramps were more likely to have reduced QOL and sleep disturbance if muscle cramps had (i) high frequency (occurring daily to a few times per week, P < .01); (ii) long duration (between a few minutes and a few hours, P < .01) and (iii) intense severity (visual analogue scale ≥4, P < .01). Age, female sex, positive results for hepatitis C virus, low serum albumin concentration, and cirrhosis were independent factors related to the severity of muscle cramps. CONCLUSION:Muscle cramps occurred with great frequency and were associated with various factors such as age, sex, hepatitis C virus and liver function. Many patients experience poor QOL (26.3%) due to muscle cramps, and therapeutic interventions are therefore needed.