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Association of multiple symptoms with sleep quality and duration: a cross-sectional population-based study of older men in Sweden

Zeaiter, Maria ; Olsson, Max LU orcid ; Kochovska, Slavica ; Currow, David C and Ekström, Magnus LU orcid (2025) In BMJ Open 15(7). p.1-8
Abstract
Objective To evaluate any association of the presence and severity of nine major symptoms (pain, tiredness, drowsiness, nausea, appetite, breathlessness, depression, anxiety, and perceived well-being) with sleep quality and duration in elderly men.

Design and setting Cross-sectional analysis within the population-based VAScular and Chronic Obstructive Lung disease study (VASCOL) conducted in southern Sweden in 2019.

Participants A total of 838 older men aged 73 years.

Measures Severity of the symptoms was self-reported between 0 and 10 on a numerical rating scale. Breathlessness was also assessed using the Multidimensional Dyspnoea Profile and Dyspnoea-12. Sleep quality was reported on a 5-point Likert scale from... (More)
Objective To evaluate any association of the presence and severity of nine major symptoms (pain, tiredness, drowsiness, nausea, appetite, breathlessness, depression, anxiety, and perceived well-being) with sleep quality and duration in elderly men.

Design and setting Cross-sectional analysis within the population-based VAScular and Chronic Obstructive Lung disease study (VASCOL) conducted in southern Sweden in 2019.

Participants A total of 838 older men aged 73 years.

Measures Severity of the symptoms was self-reported between 0 and 10 on a numerical rating scale. Breathlessness was also assessed using the Multidimensional Dyspnoea Profile and Dyspnoea-12. Sleep quality was reported on a 5-point Likert scale from ‘very well’ to ‘very bad’and sleep duration on a 7-point scale from ‘less than 4 hours’ to ‘more than 10 hours’. Associations of each symptom score with having worse sleep quality (‘bad’ or ‘very bad’) and/or shorter sleep duration (<6 hour/night) were analysed using logistic regression, adjusted for common confounders.

Results Of 838 men analysed, 11% had worse sleep quality, 8% had shorter sleep duration and 5% had both. Higher severity of each symptom was associated with worse sleep quality (adjusted odds ratios (aOR) ranging 1.12–1.61) and shorter sleep duration (aORs ranging 1.10–1.49).

Conclusions A wide range of symptoms is associated with worse sleep quality and shorter sleep duration in elderly men, suggesting that clinicians should assess sleep when these symptoms are present and vice versa. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
BMJ Open
volume
15
issue
7
article number
e094962
pages
1 - 8
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:40592751
  • scopus:105010290164
ISSN
2044-6055
DOI
10.1136/bmjopen-2024-094962
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0573c0d7-d1c8-488b-9a8d-7d32b49c6103
date added to LUP
2025-12-04 10:10:21
date last changed
2025-12-05 04:01:17
@article{0573c0d7-d1c8-488b-9a8d-7d32b49c6103,
  abstract     = {{Objective To evaluate any association of the presence and severity of nine major symptoms (pain, tiredness, drowsiness, nausea, appetite, breathlessness, depression, anxiety, and perceived well-being) with sleep quality and duration in elderly men.<br/><br/>Design and setting Cross-sectional analysis within the population-based VAScular and Chronic Obstructive Lung disease study (VASCOL) conducted in southern Sweden in 2019.<br/><br/>Participants A total of 838 older men aged 73 years.<br/><br/>Measures Severity of the symptoms was self-reported between 0 and 10 on a numerical rating scale. Breathlessness was also assessed using the Multidimensional Dyspnoea Profile and Dyspnoea-12. Sleep quality was reported on a 5-point Likert scale from ‘very well’ to ‘very bad’and sleep duration on a 7-point scale from ‘less than 4 hours’ to ‘more than 10 hours’. Associations of each symptom score with having worse sleep quality (‘bad’ or ‘very bad’) and/or shorter sleep duration (&lt;6 hour/night) were analysed using logistic regression, adjusted for common confounders.<br/><br/>Results Of 838 men analysed, 11% had worse sleep quality, 8% had shorter sleep duration and 5% had both. Higher severity of each symptom was associated with worse sleep quality (adjusted odds ratios (aOR) ranging 1.12–1.61) and shorter sleep duration (aORs ranging 1.10–1.49).<br/><br/>Conclusions A wide range of symptoms is associated with worse sleep quality and shorter sleep duration in elderly men, suggesting that clinicians should assess sleep when these symptoms are present and vice versa.}},
  author       = {{Zeaiter, Maria and Olsson, Max and Kochovska, Slavica and Currow, David C and Ekström, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{2044-6055}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{7}},
  pages        = {{1--8}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{BMJ Open}},
  title        = {{Association of multiple symptoms with sleep quality and duration: a cross-sectional population-based study of older men in Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-094962}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/bmjopen-2024-094962}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}