Poor sleep and catastrophizing makes knee osteoarthritis worse
People with knee osteoarthritis who have poor sleep habits have amplified clinical pain, experts highlight in Arthritis Care & Research. And those who catastrophize, ie are consumed by thoughts of pain, may have increased central sensitisation that is associated with greater clinical pain.
A total of 208 participants (72% female) were split into four groups:
• People with osteoarthritis and insomnia;
• People with osteoarthritis and normal sleep habits;
• Healthy people with insomnia;
• Healthy people without a pain syndrome and normal sleep.
Participants completed sleep assessments, psychological and pain evaluations and sensory testing.
Results suggest that the people with knee osteoarthritis and insomnia had the greatest degree of central sensitisation (amplified clinical pain) compared to the two groups of healthy people.
Those with poor sleep and high catastrophizing scores reported increased levels of central sensitisation. And central sensitisation was significantly associated with increased clinical pain.
“Our study is the largest and most comprehensive examination of the relationship between sleep disturbance, catastrophizing and central sensitization in knee osteoarthritis,” explains Dr Claudia Campbell, lead author.
“While no causal processes may be determined from this study, our data suggest that those with low sleep efficiency and higher catastrophizing have the greatest central sensitization. Understanding the intricate relationship between sleep, central sensitization, and catastrophizing has important clinical implications for treating those with chronic pain conditions such as knee osteoarthritis.”
Image credit: Sohel Parvez Haque
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