Prevalence of sleep disturbances and its associated factors in patients with generalised anxiety disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to study the prevalence of sleep disturbances in patients with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and to identify the factors related to sleep disturbances.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of factors associated with sleep disturbances and a meta-analysis of the pooled prevalence of sleep disturbances in GAD patients. A box-score method was employed to quantify the relationships between the identified factors associated with sleep disturbances and GAD. Cochran's Q-test and I2 statistics were used to evaluate the heterogeneity of the studies. We employed a random-effects meta-analysis model to estimate the pooled prevalence of sleep disturbances, combining the data using the Freeman-Tukey double arcsine method. Publication bias was evaluated by a funnel plot and Egger's test.

RESULTS

We identified eight eligible papers for systematic review; five were included in the meta-analysis. Five studies involved 5875 GAD patients; most participants were females aged 18 to 94. The pooled prevalence of sleep disturbance was 72 % (95 % CI: 28-99 %). The associated factors of sleep disturbances included sex, body mass index, GAD severity, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale score, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score, Beck Depression Inventory score, Brief Pain Inventory score, cigarette consumption, Health-related quality of life and parathyroid hormone and vitamin D levels.

CONCLUSION

Sleep disturbances are prevalent in GAD patients and associated with several factors, including individual characteristics and measures of mood and health. Interventions focused onmodifiable factors may benefit GAD patients.

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