Introduction: In general populations, short and long sleep duration, poor sleep quality and sleep disorders have been associated with increased risk of death. We evaluated these associations in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Methods: Prospective cohort study of 1,452 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2008 participants with CKD. CKD was defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73m2 or urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g. Sleep duration, sleep symptoms (difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, daytime sleepiness and non-restorative sleep), and sleep disorders (restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea) were self-reported. Vital status was determined using NHANES mortality linkage through December 2011.
Results: Mean age was 61 years, 58% were women, and 75% non-Hispanic white. During 4.4 years of median follow-up, we observed 234 deaths of which 75 were due to cardiovascular causes. In multivariable analyses, compared with individuals who reported 7-8 hours of sleep, HR (95% CI) for all-cause mortality for sleep duration <7 hours and >8 hours were 1.50 (1.08-2.10) and 1.36 (0.89-2.08), respectively. The corresponding HR (95%CI) for cardiovascular mortality were 1.56 (0.72-3.37) and 1.56 (0.66-3.65). Non-restorative sleep and restless legs syndrome were associated with increased risk for all-cause mortality (1.63 [1.13-2.35], and 1.69 [1.04-275], respectively).
Conclusion: In adults with CKD, short sleep duration, nonrestorative sleep and restless legs syndrome are associated with increased risk of death. These findings underscore the importance of promoting adequate sleep in patients with CKD, and the need for future studies evaluating the impact of sleep interventions in this population.