Sleep disturbances at the time of a new diagnosis: a comparative study of human immunodeficiency virus patients, cancer patients, and general population controls

Sleep Disturbance Affects Immune Factors in Clinical Liver Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND

Sleep-wake disturbance is prevalent in patients with liver cancer, but there is no direct evidence of its association and related biological mechanisms. Our study was to assess quality of sleep and to describe prevalence of sleep disturbances in patients with different etiologies of liver cancer, especially to explore whether sleep quality influences immune factors.

METHODS

A total of 210 patients with liver cancer from August 2015 to December 2015 were randomly divided into two groups including HBV cirrhosis and non-HBV cirrhosis. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate their sleep quality, and then 202 patients enrolled in this study were divided into two groups according to their PSQI scores: PSQI ≤ 5 and PSQI > 5. The association between sleep disturbances and immune factors was analyzed by logistic regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 56.9% of liver cancer patients experienced poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5). The prevalence of sleep disturbances was significantly higher in patients with liver cancer of non-hepatitis B virus (HBV) cirrhosis than with that evolving from HBV cirrhosis (66.7% vs. 50%, p = 0.018). In non-HBV cirrhosis liver cancer patients, the PSQI > 5 group had a higher percentage of CD3⁺ T cells (71.06 ± 11.07 vs. 63.96 ± 14.18, p = 0.014) and lower natural killer (NK) cells (14.67 ± 9.65 vs. 20.5 ± 10.77, p = 0.014) compared with patients with PSQI ≤ 5. Logistic regression further confirmed that liver cancer patients without HBV cirrhosis are more prone to experience poor sleep with increased CD3⁺ T cells (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01-1.13, p = 0.030) and decreased NK cells (OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.85-0.98, p = 0.014). Our results indicate that increased CD3⁺ T cells and decreased NK cells are both associated with sleep disturbances in patients with liver cancer of non-HBV cirrhosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Most liver cancer patients suffer from sleep disturbances, especially evolving from non-HBV cirrhosis. A rise in CD3⁺ T cells and a reduction in NK cells are associated with sleep disturbances in patients with liver cancer of non-HBV cirrhosis.

Relationships Among Trajectories of Sleep Disturbance, Depression, and Antiretroviral Therapy in Persons Newly Diagnosed with HIV: A One-and-a-Half-Year Observational Longitudinal Study

PURPOSE

Sleep disturbance is one of the most prevalent symptoms among persons living with HIV (PLWH). However, the trajectory of sleep patterns in persons newly diagnosed with HIV remains underrecognized. The current study aimed to estimate the trajectory of sleep quality and its associated factors among newly diagnosed PLWH.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective study was conducted in the outpatient clinic of a medical center in southern Taiwan from January 2015 to December 2017. Our primary outcome was sleep quality using the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (CPSQI). Participants completed the questionnaire at baseline and at four follow-up interval visits: at 3-6, 6-9, 9-12 and 12-15 months. A generalized equation estimation (GEE) model was applied to analyze the relationships among poor sleep quality, depression and antiretroviral therapy among persons newly diagnosed with HIV.

RESULTS

A total of 217 PLWH were included. The mean age of the sample was 29.3 years, and males (98.6%) were predominant. A total of 56.2% of HIV-infected persons were considered to have poor sleep quality at baseline. After controlling for the confounding effects of demographic characteristics, the following factors increased the risk of poor sleep quality: older age (ß= 0.07, CI: 0.03-0.11, p=0.001), level of depression (ß= 0.32, CI: 0.27-0.37, p<0.001) and detectable viral load (ß= 0.61, CI: 0.04 - 1.18, p= 0.037). However, there was no significant difference in BMI, CD4 counts, HIV viral load, disclosure status, or highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that one in two persons with newly diagnosed HIV had poor sleep quality. Being older, having higher levels of depression, and having detectable HIV viral loads were identified as risk factors for developing poor sleep quality in persons living with HIV.

Differences in Sleep Disorders between HIV-Infected Persons and Matched Controls with Sleep Problems: A Matched-Cohort Study Based on Laboratory and Survey Data

Objectives: Sleep disturbances are prevalent problems among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons. The recognition of comorbid sleep disorders in patients with HIV is currently hampered by limited knowledge of sleep-related symptoms, sleep architecture, and types of sleep disorders in this population. We aimed to compare the differences in sleep-related symptoms and polysomnography-based sleep disorders between HIV-infected persons and controls. Methods: The study evaluated 170 men with a Pittsburgh sleep quality index scores greater than 5, including 44 HIV-infected men and 126 male controls who were frequency-matched by sex, age (±3.0 years) and BMI (±3.0 kg/m²). For all participants, an overnight sleep study using a Somte V1 monitor was conducted. Differences in sleep-related symptoms and sleep disorders between HIV-infected patients and controls were examined using t-tests or chi-square tests. Results: HIV-infected persons with sleep disturbances more often had psychological disturbances (72.7% vs. 40.5%, p < 0.001) and suspected rapid eye movement behavior disorder (25.0% vs. 4.8%, p < 0.01) than controls. Sleep-disordered breathing was less common in HIV-infected persons than in controls (56.8% vs. 87.3%, p < 0.001). The mean percentage of rapid eye movement sleep was higher among HIV-infected patients than among controls (20.6% vs. 16.6%, p < 0.001). Nocturia was more common in HIV-infected persons than in controls (40.9% vs. 22.2%, p = 0.02). Conclusions: Psychological disturbances and sleep-disordered breathing can be possible explanations of sleep disturbances in HIV-infected persons in whom sleep-disordered breathing is notable. Further studies are warranted to examine the underlying factors of rapid eye movement behavior disorder among HIV-infected persons with sleep disturbances.

Long-Term Coronavirus Disease 2019 Complications in Inpatients and Outpatients: A One-Year Follow-up Cohort Study

Background

As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, more and more people are infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The short- and medium-term effects of the infection have been described, but the description of the long-term sequelae is lacking in the literature.

Methods

Patients healed from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from February 2020 to May 2020 were considered for inclusion in this study, regardless of the severity of the disease during the acute phase. Eligible patients were consecutively contacted and a semistructured interview was administered between February and March 2021 by trained medical staff.

Results

Three hundred three patients were eligible and accepted to participate in the study and were enrolled. Of those surveyed, most patients (81%) reported at least 1 symptom, and the most prevalent symptoms were fatigue (52%), pain (48%), and sleep disorders (47%). Sensory alterations were present in 28% of surveyed patients, but in most of these cases (74% of those affected by sensory alterations or 20% of the overall sample) symptoms reported were either anosmia or dysgeusia. Higher prevalence was generally observed with increasing age, although the most relevant differences were observed when comparing young versus middle-aged adults.

Conclusions

At 12 months after acute infection, COVID-19 survivors were still suffering from symptoms identified at shorter follow-up, and the most frequent symptoms included fatigue, pain, and sleep disorders. A more severe impairment in the acute phase did not seem to predict more severe complications.

Insomnia symptoms and biomarkers of monocyte activation, systemic inflammation, and coagulation in HIV: Veterans Aging Cohort Study

Background

Insomnia may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in HIV (HIV-CVD); however, mechanisms have yet to be elucidated.

Methods

We examined cross-sectional associations of insomnia symptoms with biological mechanisms of HIV-CVD (immune activation, systemic inflammation, and coagulation) among 1,542 people with HIV from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) Biomarker Cohort. Past-month insomnia symptoms were assessed by the item, “Difficulty falling or staying asleep?,” with the following response options: “I do not have this symptom” or “I have this symptom and…” “it doesn’t bother me,” “it bothers me a little,” “it bothers me,” “it bothers me a lot.” Circulating levels of the monocyte activation marker soluble CD14 (sCD14), inflammatory marker interleukin-6 (IL-6), and coagulation marker D-dimer were determined from blood specimens. Demographic- and fully-adjusted (CVD risk factors, potential confounders, HIV-related factors) regression models were constructed, with log-transformed biomarker variables as the outcomes. We present the exponentiated regression coefficient (exp[b]) and its 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

We observed no significant associations between insomnia symptoms and sCD14 or IL-6. For D-dimer, veterans in the “Bothers a Lot” group had, on average, 17% higher D-dimer than veterans in the “No Difficulty Falling or Staying Asleep” group in the demographic-adjusted model (exp[b] = 1.17, 95%CI = 1.01–1.37, p = .04). This association was nonsignificant in the fully-adjusted model (exp[b] = 1.09, 95%CI = 0.94–1.26, p = .27).

Conclusion

We observed little evidence of relationships between insomnia symptoms and markers of biological mechanisms of HIV-CVD. Other mechanisms may be responsible for the insomnia-CVD relationship in HIV; however, future studies with comprehensive assessments of insomnia symptoms are warranted.

CD4+ T Cell Count, Sleep, Depression, and Anxiety in People Living With HIV: A Growth Curve Mixture Modeling

We investigated changes in CD⁴⁺ T cell counts related to sleep quality, depression, anxiety, and sociodemographic variables in heterogeneous groups of people living with HIV in a 6-month prospective study. Our longitudinal study involved 247 ambulatory patients living with HIV and using antiretroviral therapy. Sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and CD⁴⁺ T cell counts were assessed three times at 3-month intervals. Growth curve mixture modeling was conducted to explore changes over time. A two-class mixture model with logarithmic change pattern fit the data best. For the majority of the sample (89.1%), anxiety, depression, and sleep quality did not change when CD⁴⁺ T cells increased. For a small proportion of the sample (11.9%), sleep quality, anxiety, and depression deteriorated when CD⁴⁺ T cells decreased. Marital status and alcohol use affected the classification significantly. Health care professionals should provide relevant services to people living with HIV with decreasing CD⁴⁺ T cell counts.

Behavioral and Physical Activity Interventions for HAND

Approximately 30-50% of persons living with HIV manifest some degree of neurocognitive impairment. Even mild-to-moderate forms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) can result in difficulties with everyday functioning, such as suboptimal medication adherence and impaired driving. Despite the pervasive presence and consequences of HAND, there is a significant unmet need to develop effective behavioral strategies to reduce the incidence and consequences of HAND. Although there is an absence of evidence-based behavioral interventions specific to HAND, the literature reviewed in this chapter suggest the following modifiable lifestyle factors as intervention targets: physical activity, diet, sleep, and antiretroviral medication adherence. Adoption and maintenance of these healthy lifestyle factors may reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which, in turn, may reduce the incidence and/or severity of HAND.

Poor Quality of Sleep Among HIV-Positive Persons in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

In comparison to the general population, persons living with HIV show a higher prevalence of poor quality of sleep, with estimates from 24.1-100% vs in the normal population 10-40%. There are not enough data on the poor quality of sleep among HIV-infected persons in Ethiopia.

METHODS

Hospital-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 336 HIV-infected persons in Mettu Karl Referral Hospital. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), social phobia inventory (SPIN), changes in sexual functioning questionnaire short-form (CSFQ-14), Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND), severity of dependence scale (SDS), and CAGE questionnaire (cut down, annoyed, guilty, eye opener) was used. Data were analyzed by SPSS 20 version. Bivariate and multivariable regressions were computed, and a significance level was declared at a point P-value of <0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 336 respondents completed all questionnaires with response rate 98.53%. A total of 192 participants (57.1%) had poor sleep quality. Concerning associated factors; positive for social phobia, sexual dysfunction, living alone, poor antiretroviral (ARV) treatment adherence, and drunken alcohol had a positive association with poor sleep quality.

CONCLUSION

Of the persons living with HIV (PLWH) in Mettu Karl Referral Hospital, 57.1% experienced poor sleep quality. Social phobia, living arrangement, sexual dysfunction, poor ARV treatment adherence, and use of alcohol showed a significant association with poor quality of sleep. The findings suggest that a longitudinal study will be needed to elucidate the causal relationship of variables, and routine screening of poor sleep quality among PLWH is highly recommended. Furthermore, integrating and launching mental health services at ART clinic is greatly important.

Quality of sleep and associated factors among people living with HIV/AIDS attending ART clinic at Hawassa University comprehensive specialized Hospital, Hawassa, SNNPR, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Sleep is a natural, restorative, physiological process that is characterized by perceptual disengagement from and unresponsiveness to whatever going around, which is reversible. Sleep quality refers to a sense of being rested and refreshed after waking up from sleep. People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are vulnerable to poor sleep quality as they suffer from social stigma and Anti-Retroviral drug side effects. The study aimed to examine the quality of sleep and its associated factors among people living with HIV/AIDS attending Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) clinic at Hawassa University comprehensive specialized hospital.

METHOD

Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among PLWHA attending ART clinic at Hawassa University comprehensive specialized hospital from May 1-30, 2019. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select an estimated 422 study participants and data was collected using interviewer-administered technique. Sleep Quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS 22 software. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with quality of sleep. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was computed to determine the level of significance with P-value less than 0.05.

RESULT

Out of 422 respondents, 389 participated in the study giving a response rate of 92.1%. The prevalence of poor quality of sleep among study participants was found to be 57.6% (95% CI: 54.72, 60.48). 31.9% (124) and 30.6% (119) of study participants had anxiety and depression respectively. Being between the age of 55-64 years (AOR = 5.7, 95% CI (1.9, 17.8), Age ≥ 65 (AOR:6.6, 95% CI (1.2, 36.9), Monthly income <1656 Ethiopian Birr (ETB) (AOR = 2.17, 95% CI (1.06, 4.4), having anxiety (AOR = 4.4, 95% CI (2.12, 9.2), having depression (AOR = 4.97, 95% CI (2.28, 10) and poor social support (AOR = 2.9, 95% CI (1.16, 7.3) were factors associated with poor quality of sleep.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of poor quality of sleep among PLWHA was significantly high. Average monthly income, age, anxiety, depression, and social support were found to be significantly associated with poor sleep quality. Health care professionals working at the ART clinic need to assess the sleep pattern of ART clients, give psychoeducation on the prevention and management of sleep pattern problems.

Early scale-up of antiretroviral therapy at diagnosis for reducing economic burden of cardiometabolic disease in HIV-infected population

OBJECTIVE

The current study aims to assess the effect of early scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) at HIV diagnosis on the economic burden of cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) in HIV-infected population.

DESIGN

Cohort study.

METHODS

The study cohort comprised 10 693 newly diagnosed HIV patients without CMDs before HIV diagnosis identified from a nationwide HIV cohort in Taiwan. The patients were stratified by ART use [medication possession ratio ≥0.8: (high) vs. <0.8: (low)] and AIDS-defining illnesses (ADI) status [present: (+) vs. absent: (-)] at the first year of HIV diagnosis into four groups: ART (low) and ADI (-), ART (low) and ADI (+), ART (high) and ADI (-), and ART (high) and ADI (+). The economic analysis of incident CMDs was from the perspective of Taiwan's single-payer healthcare system and estimated using generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

CMDs significantly increased annual direct medical costs by 31% (hypertension) to 127% [cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)]. The annual cost burden of diabetes, dyslipidemia, and CVDs in the ART (high) and ADI (-) group significantly decreased by 42, 30, and 31%, respectively, compared with the ART (low) and ADI (+) group. Compared with the ART (low) and ADI (+) group, the annual cost burden of CVDs in the ART (high) and ADI (-) and ART (high) and ADI (+) groups decreased by 31 and 14%, respectively, suggesting increased cost-savings when ART is initiated at diagnosis before ADI occurrence.

CONCLUSION

The early scale-up of ART at diagnosis before ADI occurrence is important for minimizing the economic burden of incident CMDs among HIV-infected patients.