Sleep Disorders in Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis as Characterised by Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children

• Main Authors: Priyanka Kumari, Neha Mehra, Kalpana Panda, Somdipa Pal, Tribhuvan Pal Yadav
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited 2020-12-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research
• Subjects: childhood chronic arthritis; juvenile arthritis disease activity score-27; sleep problems; visual analogue scale for pain
• Online Access: https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/14314/45568_CE[Ra1]_F(SL)_PF1(SY_OM)_PFA(SL)_PN(SL).pdf

Introduction: Sleep disorders negatively impact a child’s quality of life, behaviour and cognitive function. Sleep disturbances have not been widely studied in patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) especially using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC). Aim: To characterise sleep disorders in JIA patients by using SDSC and determine its correlation with pain and disease activity. Materials and Methods: In this cohort study, 30 patients each of active JIA and age and sex matched controls (age 6-15 years) were administered SDSC at enrollment and after six months of treatment (in JIA patients). The study duration was from November 2017 to March 2019. Pain severity and disease activity were assessed at baseline and after six month by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain and Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score-27 (JADAS-27). Data at baseline between patients and controls were compared by unpaired t-test and between six months and baseline by paired t-test. Categorical variables were analysed by Chi-square test or Fisher’s-exact test and correlation by Spearman correlation. Results: Total SDSC score was higher in JIA patients at baseline (45.67±9.13 vs. 28.5±1.17) and decreased significantly after six months (29.73±3.17). Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep (DIMS), excessive somnolence, hyperhidrosis, arousal and sleep-wake transition were observed in 29, 18, 4, 1 and 2 patients, respectively. After six months excessive somnolence and hyperhidrosis were found in one patient each. Significant positive correlation was observed between total SDSC score, VAS for pain and JADAS-27 score. Conclusion: SDSC scores revealed significant sleep disturbances in patients with JIA and a positive correlation with pain severity and disease activity.