Sleep and Haemophilia–A Case‐Control Analysis of Associated Factors

TL;DR

People with haemophilia experience worse sleep quality and restoration compared to healthy individuals, mainly due to chronic pain and lower quality of life.

Contribution

This study identifies pain and quality of life as key factors affecting sleep quality in people with haemophilia.

Findings

PwH had significantly worse sleep quality and restoration compared to healthy controls.

Pain over four weeks and lower quality of life were significant predictors of poor sleep quality.

Trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, and sleep quantity were similar between groups.

Abstract

Sufficient sleep is essential for maintaining both physical and mental health, yet data on sleep health among persons with haemophilia (PwH) remain limited.

This study aimed to assess sleep in PwH compared to healthy controls (Con) and identify factors associated with impaired sleep quality (SQual) in PwH.

100 PwH A or B and 100 Con participated. Sleep metrics were assessed using the German sleep questionnaire (Schlaffragebogen B revised), comparing SQual, trouble falling asleep (TFA), trouble staying asleep (TSA), feeling of being restored after sleep (RAS), and sleep quantity (SQuan) between groups. Additionally, variables potentially associated with SQual in PwH, i.e. age, BMI, current pain (NRSnow), pain over four weeks (NRS‐4w), joint health (Haemophilia Joint Health Score (HJHS)), and quality of life (QoL), were analysed using a multiple regression model.

Age‐adjusted comparisons revealed significantly worse SQual (p < 0.001) and RAS (p = 0.037) in PwH compared to Con, with no significant differences in TFA, TSA, and SQuan. Regression analysis identified only NRS‐4w (p = 0.012) and QoL (p = 0.008) as significant predictors of worse SQual in PwH (R
2 = 0.17), while age, BMI, and HJHS had no significant effect.

PwH exhibit poorer SQual and RAS compared to Con, with pain and diminished QoL being key factors contributing to impaired SQual. Other sleep indices such as TFA, TSA and SQuan were unaltered. Given the adverse health impacts of poor SQual and its association with pain, integrating sleep assessment into routine care may enhance patient outcomes.

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