Natural Course of Insomnia Comorbid With Cancer: An 18-Month Longitudinal Study
Menée auprès de 962 patients atteints de cancer, cette étude américaine évalue l'incidence et la persistence des troubles du sommeil
Purpose This study aimed to assess the prevalence and natural course (incidence, persistence, remission, and relapse) of insomnia comorbid with cancer during an 18-month period.Patients and Methods All patients scheduled to receive a curative surgery for a first diagnosis of nonmetastatic cancer were approached on the day of their preoperative visit to participate in the study. A total of 962 patients with cancer (mixed sites) completed an insomnia diagnostic interview at the perioperative phase (T1), as well as at 2 (T2), 6 (T3) 10 (T4), 14 (T5), and 18 (T6) months after surgery.Results Findings revealed high rates of insomnia at baseline (59%), including 28% with an insomnia syndrome. The prevalence of insomnia generally declined over time but remained pervasive even at the end of the 18-month period (36%). Rates were greater in patients with breast (42% to 69%) and gynecologic (33% to 68%) cancer and lower in men with prostate cancer (25% to 39%) throughout the study. Nearly 15% of patients had a first incidence of insomnia during the study, and 19.5% experienced relapse. The evolution of symptoms varied according to sleep status. Remissions (patients becoming good sleepers) were much less likely for patients with an insomnia syndrome (10.8% to 14.9%) than for those with insomnia symptoms (42.0% to 51.3%). Most frequently (37.6%), patients with an insomnia syndrome at baseline kept that status throughout the 18-month period.Conclusion Insomnia is a frequent and enduring problem in patients with cancer, particularly at the syndrome level. Early intervention strategies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, could prevent the problem from becoming more severe and chronic.