Association between Sleep Disturbances and Abdominal Symptoms

Abstract

Objective Although gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is known to cause sleep disturbances, the relationships between other abdominal symptoms and sleep disorders have not been clarified. In the present study, we examined the relationships between daytime sleepiness and various abdominal symptoms in a nonclinical population. Methods We enrolled 2,936 subjects who visited Matsue Red Cross Hospital for an annual health check examination during a 10-month consecutive period after excluding those with organic gastrointestinal diseases. The Izumo scale abdominal symptom and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) questionnaires were employed to evaluate the presence of abdominal symptoms and daytime sleepiness. Results Among the 2,936 subjects, 233 (7.9%), 254 (8.6%) and 528 (18%) had GERD-like, functional dyspepsia (FD)-like and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-like symptoms, respectively. The ESS scores in the subjects with GERD-, FD-and IBS-like symptoms were significantly higher than those observed in the asymptomatic subjects. The subjects with multiple abdominal symptoms tended to have higher ESS scores than those with single symptoms. A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed a younger age and the presence of FD-and IBS-like symptoms to be significant influencing factors for sleep disturbances. Conclusion The presence of FD and IBS symptoms in addition to GERD symptoms exhibits a strong relationship with sleep disturbances from the viewpoint of daytime sleepiness.

Sleep Disturbance and Its Association with Gastrointestinal Symptoms/Diseases and Psychological Comorbidity

“…Numerous studies have demonstrated a strong association between SD and functional gastrointestinal disorders including GERD, FD, and IBS [1][2][3]. These disorders can affect the sleep-wake cycle and lead to poor quality of sleep.…”

“…Interest in sleep phenomenology and its relation to gastrointestinal functioning has recently increased. A number of studies have demonstrated a strong association between SD and functional gastrointestinal disorders [1][2][3].…”

“…Numerous studies have revealed that patients with FD and/or IBS have poor sleep [1,3]. It is likely that patients with these functional gastrointestinal disorders have increased nocturnal autonomic arousal and altered viscerosomatic sensitivity, which may result in poor sleep [1].…”

Association Between Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Population-based Study in China

“…In our study, ulcer-like dyspepsia, diarrhea-predominant IBS, alternating IBS, functional constipation, and GERD were found to be significantly associated with EDS, which was in consistency with a similar previous study. 17 Furthermore, we applied the Rome II criteria and RDQ to diagnose FGIDs so that we were able to divide FD and IBS into more specific subtypes in order to avoid confusion of similar diseases, such as diarrhea-predominant IBS and functional diarrhea, constipation-predominant IBS, and functional constipation. 29,30 Overweight and obesity were significantly associated with EDS.…”

“…16 Presence of FD and IBS symptoms in addition to GERD symptoms exhibited a strong relationship with daytime sleepiness in Japanese. 17 In Israel, IBS patients tended to suffer from daytime sleepiness measured by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). 18 EDS is a common sleep-related symptom in China, it is more prevalent in the general Chinese population (22.2%) than in general American (8.7%) and Japanese populations (2.5%).…”