Quality of sleep and quality of life in renal transplantation patients.

INTRODUCTION: Sleep and sleep-related disorders are common among end-stage renal disease patients. In the general population and hemodialysis patients, insomnia impairs health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence of sleep problems among renal transplantation patients and the relationship between the quality of sleep and the HRQOL.

METHODS: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for measuring quality of sleep, WHOQOL-BREF for quality of life, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were applied to 100 renal transplant patients.

RESULTS: Thirty (30%) subjects were "poor sleepers" (global PSQI > 5). Poor sleepers were younger (mean age: 31 vs 37); less educated (mean years of education: 7.80 vs 9.55), and more depressed (mean BDI scores 13.63 vs 7.18). There were significant inverse correlations between global PSQI and physical health (r = -0.31; P < .001) and psychological state (r = -.20; P = .04) with a significant correlation with BDI scores (r = .36; P < .001). The BDI score (P < .001) was the only significant factor of physical health, psychological state, and social functioning. BDI score (P < .001) and education (P < .022) were significant predictors of environmental conditions.

CONCLUSION: Sleep problems are not as common among transplant as dialysis patients, but still higher than the general population. Poor sleep seems to be a part of depressive symptomatology. Severity of depression and lower education were more negatively effective factors on the quality of life of these patients than the quality of sleep.