SLEEP COMPLAINTS ARE COMMON IN A DIALYSIS UNIT

Sleep disturbance among uremic patients is reported to be high, but da ta on the actual prevalence, clinical significance, and causative fact ors is limited, A sleep questionnaire was distributed to an entire hem odialysis unit of 64 patients, Of the 54 patients who completed the su rvey, 83.3% had sleep-wake complaints, Disturbed sleep was reported by 28 patients (51.8%), and causes were secondary to delayed sleep onset in 25 patients (46.3%), frequent awakening in 19 patients (35.2%), re stless legs syndrome (RLS) in 18 patients (33.3%), and generalized res tlessness in six patients (11.1%), Daytime sleepiness was the most fre quent complaint, reported by 36 patients (66.7%), and RLS was the seco nd most frequent specific complaint, reported by 31 patients (57.4%), Symptoms of sleep apnea were described by seven patients (13.0%). Male gender, age more than 60 years, RLS, and caffeine intake were associa ted with more sleep-wake complaints (P = 0.009, P = 0.002, P = 0.028, and P = 0.008, respectively). Urea and creatinine levels were higher i n patients with RLS (P = 0.04 and P = 0.08, respectively); otherwise, no other metabolic or demographic variable was associated with specifi c sleep disorders or disturbance. Sleep problems are very common in di alysis patients and likely contribute to the impaired quality of life experienced by many of these patients. (C) 1995 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.