tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Sleep Res
. 2023 May 25;e13949.
doi: 10.1111/jsr.13949. Online ahead of print. Pre-existing sleep problems as a predictor of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19
Claudia Schilling[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Alexandra Nieters[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Michael Schredl[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Raphael S Peter[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Dietrich Rothenbacher[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Stefan O Brockmann[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Siri Göpel[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Gerhard Kindle[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Uta Merle[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Jürgen M Steinacker[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Winfried Kern[SUP] 8 [/SUP]; Epidemiology of Long COVID (EPILOC) Phase I study group
Affiliations
Several months after COVID-19 many individuals still report persisting symptoms, the so-called 'post-COVID-19 syndrome'. An immunological dysfunction is one of the main pathophysiological hypotheses. As sleep is central to the functioning of the immune system, we investigated whether self-reported pre-existing sleep disturbance might be an independent risk factor for the development of post-COVID-19 syndrome. A total of 11,710 participants of a cross-sectional survey (all tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) were classified into probable post-COVID-19 syndrome, an intermediate group, and unaffected participants at an average of 8.5 months after infection. The case definition was based on newly occurring symptoms of at least moderate severity and ≥20% reduction in health status and/or working capacity. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were calculated to investigate the association between pre-existing sleep disturbances and subsequent development of post-COVID-19 syndrome while controlling for a variety of demographic, lifestyle, and health factors. Pre-existing sleep disturbances were found to be an independent predictor of subsequent probable post-COVID-19 syndrome (adjusted odds ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 2.27-3.24). Sleep disturbances as part of the post-COVID-19 syndrome were reported by more than half of the participants and appeared to be a new symptom and to occur independent of a mood disorder in most cases. Recognition of disturbed sleep as an important risk factor for post-COVID-19 syndrome should promote improved clinical management of sleep disorders in the context of COVID-19. Further, it may stimulate further research on the effect of improving sleep on the prognosis of COVID-19 long-term sequelae and other post-viral conditions.
Keywords: post-COVID-19 syndrome; risk factor; sleep disturbance.
. 2023 May 25;e13949.
doi: 10.1111/jsr.13949. Online ahead of print. Pre-existing sleep problems as a predictor of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19
Claudia Schilling[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Alexandra Nieters[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Michael Schredl[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Raphael S Peter[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Dietrich Rothenbacher[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Stefan O Brockmann[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Siri Göpel[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Gerhard Kindle[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Uta Merle[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Jürgen M Steinacker[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Winfried Kern[SUP] 8 [/SUP]; Epidemiology of Long COVID (EPILOC) Phase I study group
Affiliations
- PMID: 37227000
- DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13949
Several months after COVID-19 many individuals still report persisting symptoms, the so-called 'post-COVID-19 syndrome'. An immunological dysfunction is one of the main pathophysiological hypotheses. As sleep is central to the functioning of the immune system, we investigated whether self-reported pre-existing sleep disturbance might be an independent risk factor for the development of post-COVID-19 syndrome. A total of 11,710 participants of a cross-sectional survey (all tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) were classified into probable post-COVID-19 syndrome, an intermediate group, and unaffected participants at an average of 8.5 months after infection. The case definition was based on newly occurring symptoms of at least moderate severity and ≥20% reduction in health status and/or working capacity. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were calculated to investigate the association between pre-existing sleep disturbances and subsequent development of post-COVID-19 syndrome while controlling for a variety of demographic, lifestyle, and health factors. Pre-existing sleep disturbances were found to be an independent predictor of subsequent probable post-COVID-19 syndrome (adjusted odds ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval 2.27-3.24). Sleep disturbances as part of the post-COVID-19 syndrome were reported by more than half of the participants and appeared to be a new symptom and to occur independent of a mood disorder in most cases. Recognition of disturbed sleep as an important risk factor for post-COVID-19 syndrome should promote improved clinical management of sleep disorders in the context of COVID-19. Further, it may stimulate further research on the effect of improving sleep on the prognosis of COVID-19 long-term sequelae and other post-viral conditions.
Keywords: post-COVID-19 syndrome; risk factor; sleep disturbance.