Effects of Physical Diseases Including Nocturia on Sleep Disturbance in the Urban Elderly

Bae, Jae Ik; Kim, Ji Yong

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Nocturia is a common event among the elderly that is often understood to be a potential cause of sleep disorder. However, only a few such studies have been reported in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate physical diseases including nocturia as a risk factor for sleep disturbance in the Korean elderly.
METHODS
Subjects included 433 patients older than 60 years (average age, 69.7 years) who had completed a structured questionnaire from June to August 2009. The questionnaire asked about the quality of their sleep, nocturia and physical diseases such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, gastrointestinal problems, arthralgia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the nocturia and the physical diseases associated with sleep.
RESULTS
Incidence of nocturia increased with age and showed a significant variation among the different age groups (p<0.05): 35.7% in their 60s, 41.5% in their 70s and 60.4% in their 80s and older. Nocturia (odds ratio [OR], 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10 to 2.58) and arthralgia (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.10 to 2.60) were two important factors causing sleep disorder.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, nocturia and arthralgia were the main causes of sleep disorder. As the elderly population is continually increasing, further studies are needed to improve our understanding of this subject and to find a potential cure.