Subjective Sleep Quality in Iranian Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: Results of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index in a Referral Center

Background: Sleep quality is an important factor influencing quality of life in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Our purpose was to evaluate and report sleep quality in Iranian individuals with SCI in a referral center. Methods: We assessed sleep quality by using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) which is the self-expressing standard questionnaire to evaluate subjective sleep quality. All patients with SCI who were referred to Brain and Spinal Injury Research Center (BASIR) and did not meet exclusion criteria entered the study. Results: Total of 100 patients entered the study. Thirty eight patients (38%) of SCI patients had PSQI total score higher than 5. The association between spinal cord independence score (SCIM) and sleep quality was significant in female patients in components of subjective sleep quality, necessity of using sleeping medications and daytime dysfunction (P: 0.02, 0.01 and 0.003, respectively). Both genders had significantly less sleep disturbance and latency at higher SCIM scores. Level of injury was not associated with sleep quality. Data was collected within 4 months from January 2013 till April 2013. Conclusion: While decreased sleep quality is reported in spinal cord injured (SCI) patients, our data showed the similar frequency of reduced sleep quality in Iranian SCI patients in comparison with general population in Tehran. Females sleep quality pattern relationship with SCIM was different from male participants while they showed similarity especially in sleep latency, duration and disturbance components. Although sleep quality in SCI population in Iran does not seem to be higher than general population, the rate is still high and requires attention.