From the ArcaMax Publishing, Health & Fitness Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/healthtips/s-564303-702018
SEATTLE (UPI) -- Treating depression in women with rheumatoid
arthritis may improve sleep as well as lessen pain and improve
medication use U.S. researchers said.
Results indicate that length of time since rheumatoid arthritis
diagnosis, rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, level of pain,
depression symptoms and adherence to medications for rheumatoid
arthritis may cause women suffering from the disease to have poor
sleep quality.
Lead author Faith Luyster of the University of Pittsburgh emphasizes
the need for further research concerning poor rheumatoid arthritis
medication adherence and sleep quality.
The study involved 133 women with rheumatoid arthritis, with an
average age of 56, who were primarily Caucasian, married, had at least
a high school education, were not depressed and had rheumatoid
arthritis for 14.76 years.
Seventy-one percent of the study subjects reported poor sleep quality.
Pain and depression were measured through subjective reports and
medication adherence was measured objectively with an electronic
medication monitor on medication bottle caps, the researchers say.
Sleep disturbances and depression are more prevalent among women in
the general population, Luyster says.
The findings were presented at Sleep, the 23rd annual meeting of the
Associated Professional Sleep Societies in Seattle.