Faculty Collaboration Database

Insomnia Symptoms Are Associated With Abnormal Endothelial Function. J Cardiovasc Nurs 2017;32(1):78-85

Date

10/22/2015

Pubmed ID

26488555

Pubmed Central ID

PMC4837092

DOI

10.1097/JCN.0000000000000295

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84944768862 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   22 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder, and it has been increasingly associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The reasons for this relationship are not completely understood but may involve endothelial dysfunction. In this study, we hypothesized that insomnia symptoms would be associated with reduced endothelial function.

METHODS: Working adults (n = 496, 67.5% female, 78.6% white, mean age 48.7 [SD, 10.8] years, body mass index 28.2 [SD, 6.7] kg/m, diabetes 5.8%, hypertension 20.0%, hyperlipidemia 17.9%, heart disease 2.6%) enrolled in the Emory-Georgia Tech Predictive Health Institute study completed baseline demographic, clinical, depression (Beck Depression Inventory II), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder 7), sleep (Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index), and noninvasive endothelial function (brachial artery flow-mediated dilation [FMD]) measures. Insomnia symptoms were defined as subjective sleep latency of 30 minutes or longer, nighttime or early morning awakenings, and/or sleep medication use occurring 3 times or more per week in the past month.

RESULTS: Insomnia symptoms were reported by 39.5% of participants. Multivariable regression models showed that insomnia symptoms, age, baseline artery diameter, and dyslipidemia were inversely related to FMD. After adjusting for age, baseline artery diameter, and dyslipidemia, participants reporting insomnia symptoms had lower FMD than did participants reporting better sleep (adjusted FMD mean, 6.13% [SD, 0.28%] vs 6.83% [SD, 0.26%], P = .035).

CONCLUSION: In this study, insomnia symptoms were associated with reduced FMD. Research examining the therapeutic benefits of treating insomnia on endothelial function and future cardiovascular risk is warranted.

Author List

Routledge FS, Dunbar SB, Higgins M, Rogers AE, Feeley C, Ioachimescu O, Euwer K, Eapen D, Quyyumi A

Author

Octavian C. Ioachimescu MD, PhD Vice Chair, Director, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Age Factors
Body Mass Index
Endothelium, Vascular
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Regional Blood Flow
Regression Analysis
Risk Factors
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Vasodilation