Improvement of sleep quality after treatment in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: a prospective comparative study between conservative versus surgical treatment

Depression as a prognostic factor for lumbar spinal stenosis outcomes: a systematic review

PURPOSE

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is associated with increased levels of psychological distress, including depression; however, the prognostic value of depression remains unclear. The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize the evidence on the prognostic value of depression for a range of outcomes in patients with LSS.

METHODS

Inclusion criteria were prospective cohort studies that investigated depression in patients diagnosed with LSS. Searches were conducted in 7 databases. Critical appraisal, data extraction, and judgement of cumulative evidence were conducted independently by two reviewers. A meta-analysis was not conducted due to a lack of unique cohorts for each outcome, varying follow-up times, and differences in measurements for both prognostic factors and outcomes.

RESULTS

Twenty-three articles were included. There was evidence for an association between preoperative depression and postoperative disability and symptom severity outcomes for patients with LSS. Odds ratios ranged from 1.15 to 2.94 for postoperative disability and 1.16-1.20 for symptom severity at various follow-up times. Using GRADE, evidence supporting depression as a prognostic factor for these LSS outcomes was deemed to be of moderate quality. Similarly strong evidence suggested depressive symptoms are of no prognostic value for postoperative walking capacity.

CONCLUSION

Depression appears to have small to moderate prognostic value for LSS outcomes, with the strongest evidence for postoperative disability and symptom severity. The prognostic value of depression for LSS outcomes should be further explored using standardized measures in additional cohorts, including patients managing their condition conservatively, who have been neglected in related research.

Assessment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis as a Risk Factor for Development of Sleep Disorder: The Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcome in Aizu Cohort Study (LOHAS)

Purpose

Insomnia has been reported to coexist with various musculoskeletal disorders. Although lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is the most frequently operated on spinal disease, the causal relationship between LSS and development of sleep disorders remains unclear due to lack of longitudinal studies. This study aimed to determine whether LSS was a risk factor for developing new sleep disorders, primarily insomnia, using a prospective cohort of community residents.

Patients and Methods

This study was a prospective cohort study. Participants aged ≥65 years from the "Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcomes in Aizu Cohort Study (LOHAS)" conducted in 2008 formed our study population. LSS was diagnosed using the self-administered, self-reported history questionnaire, a validated diagnostic support tool for LSS. Sleep disorder was investigated using a questionnaire during the 2-year follow-up. The impact of LSS on sleep disorder onset was analyzed after adjusting for potential confounders, such as age, sex, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, depression, and smoking habits, using propensity score matching.

Results

Of the 489 participants who were followed up for two years, 38 (7.8%) had newly developed a sleep disorder in 2010. After adjusting for confounding factors, a comparison of 133 participants each in the control and LSS groups showed significantly higher frequency of new-onset sleep disorders (19 [14.3%] in the LSS group versus 6 [4.5%] in the control group).

Conclusion

LSS was found to be an independent risk factor for sleep disorders.

The Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Low Back Pain, Neuropathy and Sleep in Patients with Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome (PSPS): A Single-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

(1) Background: Various procedures were performed on patients with persistent spinal pain syndrome (PSPS), but the clinical effect and safety were insufficient. The study was to examine the effects of auricular acupressure (AA) on low back pain, neuropathy, and sleep in patients on PSPS. (2) Methods: This was a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted from 1 March 2022 to 31 July 2022. The participants who had at least one lumbar surgery were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n = 26) or the placebo control group (n = 25). All participants received 6 weeks of AA intervention. To validate the effects of the intervention, pressure pain thresholds (PPT), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), douleur neuropathique 4 (DN4) questions, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and actigraphy with a Fitbit Alta were conducted. The data were analyzed with SPSS/WIN ver. 27.0, using a t-test and repeated-measures ANOVA. (3) Results: The findings showed that there were significant differences in pain (back VAS p = 0.003, leg VAS p = 0.002, PPT p = 0.008), neuropathy (DN4 p = 0.034), and sleep actigraphy (sleep efficiency p = 0.038, number of awake p = 0.001, deep sleep stage p = 0.017). (4) Conclusions: We conclude that AA is an effective, safe, cost-effective, non-invasive nursing intervention that can improve pain, neuropathy, and sleep in patients on PSPS.

Improvement of sleep quality in isolated metastatic patients with spinal cord compression after surgery

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to assess changes in quality of sleep (QoS) in isolated metastatic patients with spinal cord compression following two different surgical treatments and identify potential contributing factors associated with QoS improvement.

METHODS

We reviewed 49 patients with isolated spinal metastasis at our spinal tumor center between December 2017 and May 2021. Total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) and palliative surgery with postoperative stereotactic radiosurgery (PSRS) were performed on 26 and 23 patients, respectively. We employed univariate and multivariate analyses to identify the potential prognostic factors affecting QoS.

RESULTS

The total Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score improved significantly 6 months after surgery. Univariate analysis indicated that age, pain worsening at night, decrease in visual analog scale (VAS), increase in Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score (ECOG-PS), artificial implant in focus, and decrease in epidural spinal cord compression (ESCC) scale values were potential contributing factors for QoS. Multivariate analysis indicated that the ESCC scale score decreased as an independent prognostic factor.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with spinal cord compression caused by the metastatic disease had significantly improved QoS after TES and PSRS treatment. Moreover, a decrease in ESCC scale value of > 1 was identified as a favorable contributing factor associated with PSQI improvement. In addition, TES and PSRS can prevent recurrence by achieving efficient local tumor control to improve indirect sleep. Accordingly, timely and effective surgical decompression and recurrence control are critical for improving sleep quality.

Changes in Sleep Problems in Patients Who Underwent Surgical Treatment for Degenerative Spinal Disease with a Concurrent Sleep Disorder: A Nationwide Cohort Study in 3183 Patients during a Two-Year Perioperative Period

Sleep disturbance is prevalent in patients with degenerative spinal disease, and recent studies have reported that surgical treatment is more effective for improving sleep quality than conservative treatment. We aimed to investigate the perioperative changes of sleep problems in patients who underwent surgical treatment for degenerative spinal disease with a concurrent sleep disorder, and presented them according to various clinical profiles possibly associated with sleep disturbance. In addition, we identified factors associated with poor sleep improvement after surgery. This study used data from the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database from 2016 to 2018. We included 3183 patients aged ≥19 years who underwent surgery for degenerative spinal disease and had a concurrent sleep disorder. Perioperative changes in the two target outcomes, including the use of sleep medication and hospital visits owing to sleep disorders, were precisely investigated according to factors known to be associated with sleep disturbance, including demographics, comorbidities, and spinal regions. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with poor improvement in terms of sleep medication after surgery. All estimates were validated using bootstrap sampling. During the 1-year preoperative period, the use of sleep medications and hospital visits owing to sleep disorder increased continuously. However, they abruptly decreased shortly after surgical treatment, and throughout the 1-year postoperative period, they remained lower than those in the late preoperative period. At the 1-year follow-up, 75.6% (2407 of 3183) of our cohort showed improvement in sleep medication after surgery. Multivariable analysis identified only two variables as significant factors associated with non-improvement in sleep medication after surgery: depressive disorder (odds ratio (OR) = 1.25 [1.06-1.48]; p = 0.008), and migraine (OR = 1.42 [1.04-1.94]; p = 0.028). We could not investigate the actual sleep quality and resultant quality of life; however, our results justify the necessity for further high-quality studies that include such information and would arouse clinicians' attention to the importance of sleep disturbance in patients with degenerative spinal disease.

Prevalence of Sleep Disturbance and Its Risk Factors in Patients who Undergo Surgical Treatment for Degenerative Spinal Disease: A Nationwide Study of 106,837 Patients

Spinal surgeons have not yet considered sleep disturbance an area of concern; thus, a comprehensive study investigating the epidemiology of sleep disturbance in patients with degenerative spinal disease is yet to be conducted. This study aimed to fill this research gap by investigating the epidemiology of sleep disturbance in patients who underwent spinal surgery for degenerative spinal disease and identifying the associated risk factors. This nationwide, population-based, cohort study, used data from January 2016 and December 2018 from the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. This study included 106,837 patients older than 19 years who underwent surgery for degenerative spinal disease. Sleep disorder was initially defined as a diagnosis of a sleep disorder made within one year before the index surgery and identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, codes F51 and G47 (main analysis). We also investigated the use of sleep medication within 90 days prior to the index surgery, which was the target outcome of the sensitivity analysis. The prevalence of sleep disturbance was precisely investigated according to various factors, including demographics, comorbidities, and spinal region. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the independent factors associated with sleep disturbance. The results of the statistical analysis were validated using sensitivity analysis and bootstrap sampling. The prevalence of sleep disorder was 5.5% (n = 5847) in our cohort. During the 90 days before spinal surgery, sleep medication was used for over four weeks in 5.5% (n = 5864) and over eight weeks in 3.8% (n = 4009) of the cohort. Although the prevalence of sleep disturbance differed according to the spinal region, the spinal region was not a significant risk factor for sleep disorder in multivariable analysis. We also identified four groups of independent risk factors: (1) Age, (2) other demographic factors and general comorbidities, (3) neuropsychiatric disorders, and (4) osteoarthritis of the extremities. Our results, including the prevalence rates of sleep disturbance in the entire patient population and the identified risk factors, provide clinicians with a reasonable reference for evaluating sleep disturbance in patients with degenerative spinal disease and future research.

The Adjuvant Therapy of Intravenous Laser Irradiation of Blood (ILIB) on Pain and Sleep Disturbance of Musculoskeletal Disorders

(1) Background: Musculoskeletal pain is both intractable and irritating. Intravenous Laser Irradiation of Blood (ILIB) therapy has been used as pain control treatment for this condition. However, there remains a lack of clear evidence regarding ILIB on pain control. This study aimed to reveal the result of changes in patient pain intensity after receiving ILIB therapy. (2) Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of pain scores and sleep quality from 76 patients diagnosed with musculoskeletal disease who received three courses of ILIB therapy. Each course included ten sessions of ILIB treatment over ten consecutive days. During ILIB therapy, patients were inserted with a laser fiber optic needle which irradiated blood cells via a 632.8 nm Helium-Neon laser light over a period of 60 min. Pain scores were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), whereas sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). These scores would be recorded both before and after each ILIB treatment course. (3) Results: The mean of all patients’ initial VAS score was 5.35. After completing three courses of ILIB treatment, the mean VAS score decreased to 2.2, which indicated a significant reduction in pain intensity. Additionally, patients experienced sleep quality improvement levels from PSQI 8.97 to 5.53 upon completion of three courses of ILIB treatment. (4) Conclusions: Intravenous Laser Irradiation of Blood (ILIB) resulted in a positive pain control effect on patients with musculoskeletal disease, especially for those with moderate to severe pain intensity (initial VAS score >4). Additionally, patients experienced better sleep quality as a result of their pain relief after receiving ILIB treatment.

Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Results in Clinically Significant Improvements in Patients With Preoperative Sleep Difficulties

BACKGROUND

Individual items within the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) have not been assessed as predictors of postoperative outcomes. Our objective is to study the relationship between responses to individual PHQ-9 items and achievement of a minimum clinically important difference (MCID) following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

METHODS

A prospective surgical database was reviewed for primary, single-level ACDF procedures performed for degenerative spinal pathology. Patient demographics, preoperative spinal pathology, and perioperative characteristics were recorded. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) including PHQ-9, visual analog scale (VAS) neck and arm, Neck Disability Index, 12-item Short Form physical component score (SF-12 PCS), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function were administered at preoperative and 6-week, 12-week, 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year postoperative timepoints. MCID achievement was determined by comparing postoperative PROM improvement from baseline to previously established values. Logistic regression assessed responses to each individual question of the preoperative PHQ-9 as predictors of MCID achievement in each other PROMs.

RESULTS

Sixty-six ACDF patients were included with a mean age of 47.2 years. Herniated nucleus pulposus was the most common preoperative spinal diagnosis (95.6%). The mean operative duration was 50.3 minutes, the mean estimated blood loss was 27.5 mL, and most patients were discharged on postoperative day 0 (81.8%). A majority of patients achieved MCID for all measures except SF-12 PCS. PHQ-9 question 3 significantly predicted MCID achievement for VAS neck (P = 0.045), VAS arm (P = 0.049), and SF-12 PCS (P = 0.037). No other PHQ-9 items or overall PHQ-9 scores significantly predicted MCID achievement.

CONCLUSION

Question 3 of the PHQ-9 regarding "trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much" significantly predicted clinically meaningful improvement in neck pain, arm pain, and physical function following ACDF, although overall PHQ-9 scores did not. Providers should inform patients experiencing significant sleep-related difficulties that they may be especially likely to benefit from ACDF surgery.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Evaluation of sleep from the PHQ-9 predicts clinically relevant improvement in neck pain, arm pain, and physical function in patients undergoing ACDF.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3

Effect of Electroacupuncture on Insomnia in Patients With Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Electroacupuncture (EA) is a widely recognized therapy for depression and sleep disorders in clinical practice, but its efficacy in the treatment of comorbid insomnia and depression remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy and safety of EA as an alternative therapy in improving sleep quality and mental state for patients with insomnia and depression.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A 32-week patient- and assessor-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial (8-week intervention plus 24-week observational follow-up) was conducted from September 1, 2016, to July 30, 2019, at 3 tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China. Patients were randomized to receive EA treatment and standard care, sham acupuncture (SA) treatment and standard care, or standard care only as control. Patients were 18 to 70 years of age, had insomnia, and met the criteria for depression as classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition). Data were analyzed from May 4 to September 13, 2020.

INTERVENTIONS

All patients in the 3 groups were provided with standard care guided by psychiatrists. Patients in the EA and SA groups received real or sham acupuncture treatment, 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks, for a total of 24 sessions.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was change in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) from baseline to week 8. Secondary outcomes included PSQI at 12, 20, and 32 weeks of follow-up; sleep parameters recorded in actigraphy; Insomnia Severity Index; 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score; and Self-rating Anxiety Scale score.

RESULTS

Among the 270 patients (194 women [71.9%] and 76 men [28.1%]; mean [SD] age, 50.3 [14.2] years) included in the intention-to-treat analysis, 247 (91.5%) completed all outcome measurements at week 32, and 23 (8.5%) dropped out of the trial. The mean difference in PSQI from baseline to week 8 within the EA group was -6.2 (95% CI, -6.9 to -5.6). At week 8, the difference in PSQI score was -3.6 (95% CI, -4.4 to -2.8; P < .001) between the EA and SA groups and -5.1 (95% CI, -6.0 to -4.2; P < .001) between the EA and control groups. The efficacy of EA in treating insomnia was sustained during the 24-week postintervention follow-up. Significant improvement in the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (-10.7 [95% CI, -11.8 to -9.7]), Insomnia Severity Index (-7.6 [95% CI, -8.5 to -6.7]), and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (-2.9 [95% CI, -4.1 to -1.7]) scores and the total sleep time recorded in the actigraphy (29.1 [95% CI, 21.5-36.7] minutes) was observed in the EA group during the 8-week intervention period (P < .001 for all). No between-group differences were found in the frequency of sleep awakenings. No serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this randomized clinical trial of EA treatment for insomnia in patients with depression, quality of sleep improved significantly in the EA group compared with the SA or control group at week 8 and was sustained at week 32.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03122080.

Correlation between Sleep Time, Sleep Quality, and Emotional and Cognitive Function in the Elderly

Background

To explore the relationship between sleep time, sleep quality, and emotional and cognitive function in the elderly.

Methods

A total of 150 elderly patients over 65 years old who were admitted to our hospital from February 2019 to April 2021 were divided into a normal cognitive function group (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score: illiteracy, >17; primary school, >20; and middle school and above, >24; N = 86) and cognitive impairment group (MMSE score: illiteracy, ≤17; primary school, ≤20; and middle school or above, ≤24; N = 64). The sleep quality was evaluated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and anxiety and depression were evaluated by Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), respectively. The cognitive function between the two groups was compared via the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score, visual spatial execution, and attention. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between sleep quality, sleep time, and emotional and cognitive function.

Results

In the comparison of sleep quality between the two groups, the total score of PSQI, sleep quality, falling asleep time, sleep time, and sleep efficiency of patients with cognitive impairment were higher than those of patients with normal cognitive function (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the scores of hypnotic use and daytime dysfunction between the two groups, but the scores of nocturnal sleep disorders and ESS in the cognitive impairment group were significantly higher than those in the normal group (P > 0.05). Compared between the two groups, the MoCA score, visual spatial execution, and attention in the cognitive impairment group were significantly lower than those in the normal group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The delayed recall in the cognitive impairment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in orientation, naming, language, and abstract ability between the two groups (P > 0.05). The scores of HAMA and HAMD in the cognitive impairment group were significantly higher than those in the normal group. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between sleep therapy, sleep time, and the score of cognitive scale. The results showed that PSQI was negatively correlated with MoCA and MMSE, and ESS was negatively correlated with MoCA and MMSE. Pearson correlation analysis results indicated that PSQI was positively correlated with HAMA and HAMD, while ESS was negatively correlated with HAMA and HAMD.

Conclusion

The sleep quality and sleep time of elderly patients are positively correlated with their cognitive function. The worse the sleep quality is, the worse their cognitive function is and the more serious their anxiety and depression are. In the course of clinical therapeutics, more attention should be paid to the sleep quality of elderly.

Postoperative poor sleep quality and its associated factors among adult patients: A multicenter cross-sectional study

Background

Sleep quality refers to a sense of being refreshed and rested after waking up from sleep. Postoperative patients were vulnerable to poor sleep quality due to having different contributing factors. The prevalence of poor sleep quality among postsurgical patients was left undisclosed in our study setting. Knowing the prevalence and contributing factors for poor sleep quality helps us to develop a strategic plan for prevention and management.

Method and materials

A multicenter cross-sectional study design was conducted on 424 postsurgical patients who were selected by a systematic random sampling method. Data was collected using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index by a face-to-face interview. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 25. For categorical data, a chi-square test was done. Bivariable and multivariable analyses were performed to determine whether each of the independent variables is associated with the outcome variable.

Result

Based on this study result, the prevalence of poor sleep quality was 64.9%. Among the factors included in this study, variables which had an association with poor postoperative sleep quality were age range 25–54 years (AOR = 15.13), male gender (AOR = 4.81), educational level of secondary school (AOR = 6.29), patient income less than 2500 birr (AOR = 3.77), anxiety (AOR = 2.53), depression(AOR = 22.8), light exposure(AOR = 19.60), poor social support (AOR = 1.98), being emergency surgery (AOR = 2.46) and having a history of moderate to severe pain (AOR = 38.18, (95% CI).

Conclusion

Poor sleep quality among adult post-surgical patients was significantly high in Amhara regional comprehensive referral hospitals. Therefore; Clinicians need to prioritize postoperative sleep quality assessment and needs to minimize factors inducing postoperative sleep disturbances.

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The prevalence of postoperative poor sleep quality was 64.9%.

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Pain is associated with poor sleep qualities.

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Postoperative sleep quality was poorly managed.

Changes in sleep disturbance in patients with cervical myelopathy: comparison between surgical treatment and conservative treatment

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

The clinical symptoms of cervical myelopathy (CM) are closely associated with the risk factors of sleep disturbance, and its pathophysiological process is similar to that of spinal cord injury. Therefore, patients with CM are also expected to have sleep disturbance like patients with spinal cord injury, who typically have various types of sleep disorders. Fortunately, sleep disturbance in patients with CM is expected to respond well to treatment, and clinical studies are required to establish proper treatment strategies for CM patients with sleep disturbance.

PURPOSE

To compare the effects of CM treatment on sleep quality between patients treated surgically and those managed conservatively and to identify predictors associated with sleep improvement.

STUDY DESIGN/SETTING

Prospective cohort study.

PATIENT SAMPLE

Patients diagnosed as having CM.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

METHODS

The effect of CM treatment on sleep improvement at the 6-month follow-up was evaluated using a multivariate logistic regression analysis of propensity score-matched patients. To investigate factors associated with significant sleep improvement, a subgroup analysis was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 131 patients with CM and sleep disturbance were enrolled. Among these patients, 31 received surgical treatment and 100 received conservative treatment. Sleep quality improved rapidly and consistently after surgery, and significant sleep improvement was observed in most of the patients in the surgical group (26/31 patients, 83.9%) at the 6-month follow-up. However, sleep improvement only occurred in 27 (27%) of the 100 patients in the conservative group at the 6-month follow-up. The subgroup analysis revealed that the degree of CM determined by mJOA scores >13 was a significant predictor of sleep improvement after conservative treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinicians should closely monitor patients with CM with sleep disturbance, and proper treatment strategies should be considered according to the severity of the conditions.