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Sleep–wake disturbances are common in patients with cirrhosis and are generally attributed to the presence of hepatic encephalopathy.
Dr Sara Montagnese and colleagues from Italy determined the relationship between sleep and neuropsychiatric disturbances in patients with cirrhosis.
The team found that the study population comprised 87 patients, classified as neuropsychiatrically unimpaired or as having minimal/overt hepatic encephalopathy.
The research team served 19 healthy volunteers as controls.
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| Patients had more pronounced day-time sleepiness |
| Liver International | Validated questionnaires were used to assess sleep quality, day-time sleepiness and diurnal preference.
Health-related quality of life was assessed using the 36-item short form health profile and the chronic liver disease questionnaire.
Patients slept significantly less well than the healthy volunteers and had more pronounced day-time sleepiness.
The team did not observe significant relationships between sleep indices and the presence/degree of hepatic encephalopathy.
The research team noted that health-related quality of life was significantly impaired in the patients.
The team found that night-time sleep disturbance was an independent predictor of poor health-related quality of life.
Dr Montagnese's team concluded, “Sleep–wake abnormalities are common in patients with cirrhosis."
"They significantly influence health-related quality of life but are not related to the presence of hepatic encephalopathy.”
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