Sleep Disturbance Predicts Greater Pain Interference in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
New findings from the Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort suggest that sleep disturbance may play a significant predictive role in worsening pain interference among patients newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study published in Arthritis Care & Research reinforces the need to prioritize sleep health early in RA management as part of a comprehensive pain control strategy.
“This study investigated whether sleep disturbance can predict the extent to which pain interferes with daily functioning in patients with early RA,” the authors noted.
The analysis included 502 adults with early RA (defined as joint symptoms for ≤12 months) enrolled between 2016 and 2023. Participants completed standardized clinical assessments and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) measures at 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. The study’s primary predictor was sleep disturbance, and its primary outcome was pain interference. A lagged linear mixed-effects model assessed whether sleep quality at each time point predicted pain interference 6 months later, controlling for demographic, clinical, and psychosocial variables.
At baseline, participants had a mean age of 56 years (SD 14), were predominantly female (68%), and primarily White (81%). The average disease duration was 5.4 months (SD 2.9). The models—both unadjusted and adjusted—demonstrated a consistent and statistically significant association: worse sleep at earlier time points predicted greater pain interference six months later.
“These findings underscore the importance of addressing sleep disturbances as part of pain management strategies soon after RA diagnosis,” the authors concluded. “Identifying and targeting problematic sleep disturbances early on may help improve long-term pain outcomes.”
Reference
Aydemir B, Schieir O, Valois MF, Muhammad LN, et al. Association between sleep disturbance and subsequent pain interference in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2025 Sep;77(9):1078-1084. doi: 10.1002/acr.25568. Epub 2025 Jun 23.
