New data shows a link between vitamin D deficiency and poor sleep among patients with CD, which may have an impact on QOL.

A team from Tallaght University in Dublin aimed to determine whether a correlation exists between poor sleep and individual levels of vitamin D in patients with Crohn’s disease. The rationale for the study, which included 54 patients, was based on the knowledge that 40% to 50% of patients with CD suffer from troubled sleep that impairs their QOL. In up to 70% of patients, a low vitamin D level has also been identified as a factor independently linked to reduced QOL.

The median age of patients was 42.5, half were women, and 24% were found to have vitamin D deficiency, as defined by a value below 30 nmol/L. CD was diagnosed at a mean of 17 years earlier. Nearly half of the patients were in remission (46%), as measured by Harvey Bradshaw Index. Mild and moderate disease activity was present in 13% and 37% of patients, respectively, while 4% had severe CD.

Sleep quality was evaluated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), with values over 5 standing for poor sleep quality. This was true for 61% of the study cohort, which presented a mean PSQI of 7.7 overall. When comparing PSQI between patients with vitamin D values that indicated deficiency and those with normal vitamin D values, there was a significant difference: PSQI, 10.5 versus 6.7 (P=0.008).

From these results, the study authors concluded that poor sleep and vitamin D deficiency are linked and lead to a negative impact on the patient’s QOL. The researchers encourage vitamin D testing in patients with CD who have fatigue and sleeping disturbances.

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