Short-term Improvements in Insomnia or Pain Predict Long-term Improvements in Sleep, Pain, Depression, and Fatigue in Older Adults with Co-Morbid Osteoarthritis Pain and Insomnia.

Abstract:

<p>In a primary care population of 327 older adults (age 60+) with chronic osteoarthritis (OA) pain and insomnia, we examined the relationship between short-term improvement in sleep or pain and long-term sleep, pain, depression, and fatigue by secondary analyses of randomized controlled trial data. Study participants, regardless of trial arm, were classified as Sleep or Pain Improvers with ≥30% baseline to 2-month reduction on the Insomnia Severity Index or the Brief Pain Inventory, respectively, or Sleep or Pain Non-Improvers. After controlling for trial arm and potential confounders, both Sleep and Pain Improvers showed significant (p <.01) sustained improvements across 12 months compared to respective Non-Improvers for the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index, Brief Pain Inventory-short form (total, Interference, and Severity subscales), Patient Health Questionnaire, and Flinders Fatigue Scale.The effect sizes (Cohen's f 2) for the sustained benefits in both Sleep and Pain Improvers compared to their respective Non-Improvers for all variables were small (<0.15) with the exception of a medium effect size for sustained reduction in insomnia symptoms for the Sleep Improvers. We conclude that short-term sleep improvements in pain populations with co-morbid insomnia precede benefits not only for long-term improvement in sleep but also for reduced pain over the long-term, along with associated improvements in depression and fatigue. Short-term improvements in pain appear to have similar long-term sequelae. Successfully improving sleep in pain populations with co-morbid insomnia may have the additional benefits of improving both short and long term pain, depression and fatigue.</p>