Nevin Hammam1, Rania M Gamal2, Ahmed Mohammed Rashed2, Noha Abo Elfetoh3, Eman Mosad4, Eman M Khedr3. 1. Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Assiut University Hospitals, Assiut, Egypt; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Electronic address: hammam@ualberta.ca. 2. Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Assiut University Hospitals, Assiut, Egypt. 3. Department of Neuropsychiatry, Assiut University Hospitals, Assiut, Egypt. 4. Department of Clinical Pathology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease, characterized by polyarthritis and systemic manifestations. RA-fatigue is a significant problem and adds on disease burden. Sleep disturbance, depression, and disease activity are suggested contributing factors to RA-fatigue; however, their combined role did not examine before among Egyptian RA patients. The objective of the study was to investigate the presence of fatigue, sleep and mood disturbances in RA patients. Also, to evaluate the possible association of poor sleep, depression, and disease activity with RA-fatigue. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 115 RA patients diagnosed according to the 2010 ACR-EULAR criteria and 46 age and sex matched controls. Fatigue using the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue-Global Fatigue Index, sleep using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and mood status using Beck Depression Inventory were assessed for all participants. RA disease activity was evaluated using disease activity score-28 joints. RESULTS: RA patients had higher mean fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depression scores (27.2±8.9, 6.4±3.6, and 12.8±7.3; respectively) than controls (22.7±7, 4.8±3, 7.8±5.9; respectively) (P<.05). Poor sleep, depression and higher disease activity were significantly correlated with fatigue (r=0.4, r=0.65, r=0.55; respectively) (P<.001). The three variables may explain up to 49.1% of the variation in fatigue on multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSION: Fatigue, poor sleep, and depression are more common in Egyptian patients with RA. A remarkably higher fatigue was associated with poor sleep, depression, and high disease activity, thus monitoring these silent comorbidities in clinical practice is required.
OBJECTIVES:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease, characterized by polyarthritis and systemic manifestations. RA-fatigue is a significant problem and adds on disease burden. Sleep disturbance, depression, and disease activity are suggested contributing factors to RA-fatigue; however, their combined role did not examine before among Egyptian RApatients. The objective of the study was to investigate the presence of fatigue, sleep and mood disturbances in RApatients. Also, to evaluate the possible association of poor sleep, depression, and disease activity with RA-fatigue. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 115 RApatients diagnosed according to the 2010 ACR-EULAR criteria and 46 age and sex matched controls. Fatigue using the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue-Global Fatigue Index, sleep using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and mood status using Beck Depression Inventory were assessed for all participants. RA disease activity was evaluated using disease activity score-28 joints. RESULTS:RApatients had higher mean fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depression scores (27.2±8.9, 6.4±3.6, and 12.8±7.3; respectively) than controls (22.7±7, 4.8±3, 7.8±5.9; respectively) (P<.05). Poor sleep, depression and higher disease activity were significantly correlated with fatigue (r=0.4, r=0.65, r=0.55; respectively) (P<.001). The three variables may explain up to 49.1% of the variation in fatigue on multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSION:Fatigue, poor sleep, and depression are more common in Egyptian patients with RA. A remarkably higher fatigue was associated with poor sleep, depression, and high disease activity, thus monitoring these silent comorbidities in clinical practice is required.
Authors: Emilia E Jones Amaowei; Sana Anwar; Kumudhavalli Kavanoor Sridhar; Khadeja Shabbir; Ehtesham H Mohammed; Abdul Rasheed Bahar; Abdul Subhan Talpur; Sadaf Bhat; Shumaila Zafar; Laila Tul Qadar Journal: Cureus Date: 2022-03-14