To evaluate the association between nocturnal pain, sleep quality, pain intensity, and functional impairment in patients with elbow disorders.
Approach:
Study Design: Enrolled 664 adult patients with common elbow disorders at five orthopedic surgery centers from December 2020 to May 2024.
Assessment Tools: Patients completed validated outcome measures including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation-Elbow, and a numeric rating scale for pain.
Exclusion Criteria: Excluded patients with previous elbow surgery, diagnosed sleep disorders, mood disorders, recent fractures, substance abuse, or other musculoskeletal conditions affecting sleep.
Data Analysis: Evaluated sleep quality, pain intensity, and functional impairment across diagnostic subgroups.
Key Findings:
81% of patients reported nocturnal pain.
Mean PSQI score was 7, indicating poor sleep quality.
Lateral epicondylar pain accounted for 66% of cases.
Poor sleep quality was associated with greater upper extremity disability and higher pain intensity.
No significant differences in PSQI scores among different elbow pathologies.
Interpretation:
Poor sleep quality in elbow disorder patients is more closely related to pain and functional impairment than to specific diagnoses.
Limitations:
Sleep quality assessed via self-reported questionnaire, introducing potential reporting bias.
Causality could not be established.
Exclusion of patients with known mood or sleep disorders may limit generalizability.
Possible inclusion of isolated cases of elbow instability despite exclusion criteria.
Conclusion:
Future studies should assess the impact of treatments on sleep quality alongside pain and function in elbow disorder management.
