The Impact of Psoriasis on Sleep Quality: Examining the Relationship Between Psoriasis, Sleep, and Mental Health

Abstract

Introduction: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated skin disease with known physical and mental health comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease, depression, and anxiety. Psoriasis also has a significant impact on quality of life and sleep due to factors like itch and pain. This study aims to assess the relationship between sleep quality, mental health, and psoriasis, and specifically investigate the impact of poor sleep quality on mental health outcomes within participants with psoriasis. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 556 participants into two cohorts: 487 participants were enrolled into the psoriasis cohort, and 69 were enrolled into the healthy control cohort. The demographics, disease severity, family history, sleep quality (PROMIS 8a, PROMIS 8b, and Insomnia Severity Index), and mental health (Patient Health Questionnaire-8 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7) of participants were assessed. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression models were employed to examine sleep and mental health, adjusting for potential confounders like demographics and comorbidities. Results: A comparison of patients with psoriasis and healthy controls revealed worsened sleep and mental health outcomes in patients with psoriasis. Among participants with psoriasis, greater sleep impairment (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) 8a), sleep disturbance (PROMIS 8b), and insomnia were significantly associated with anxiety (ORa 1.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16, 1.30; ORa 1.26; 95% CI 1.16, 1.80; ORa 5.13; 95% CI 2.91, 9.33; respectively) and depression (ORa 1.42; 95% CI 1.32, 1.56; ORa 1.16; 95% CI 1.08, 1.26; ORa 7.04; 95% CI 4.01, 12.77; respectively). Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of recognizing how psoriasis can impact mental health and sleep. Building a collaborative relationship between patients with psoriasis and their providers is essential to improve overall sleep and life quality.