Proctor Simon, Cheetham Nathan J, Brown Julia R B, Bowyer Vicky, Toson Barbara, Harvey Nicholas R, Leschziner Guy, Joseph Desaline, Hammers Alexander, Sudre Carole H, Steves Claire J, Mukherjee Sutapa, Duncan Emma L
Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health/Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia.
Department of Respiratory, Sleep and Ventilation, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, SA Health, Bedford Park, SA, Australia.
ERJ Open Res. 2025 Jul 14;11(4). doi: 10.1183/23120541.00975-2024. eCollection 2025 Jul.
The COVID-19 pandemic disturbed sleep globally in both infected and uninfected individuals. Prolonged symptoms (particularly fatigue) after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (post-COVID 2019 syndrome (PCS)) remain a health issue. Whether there is a relationship between PCS and sleep disturbance is largely unknown, with most studies lacking uninfected controls. We assessed sleep behaviours in a large UK cohort, analysing sleep disruption, fatigue, SARS-CoV-2 infection and symptom duration.
UK adults previously recruited from the King's College London ZOE COVID Symptom Study to the COVID Symptom Study Biobank, with prospective symptom logging and SARS-CoV-2 testing, were invited to complete online validated questionnaires for sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Sleep Condition Indicator, the STOP-Bang Questionnaire and Epworth Sleepiness Scale), fatigue (Chalder Fatigue Scale) and mental health (Generalised Anxiety Disorder 2 scale and Patient Health Questionnaire 2). Data were analysed considering SARS-CoV-2 infection, symptom duration and co-morbidities, including mental health.
Questionnaires were completed by 3833 of 8355 participants (2089 infected, 1721 uninfected, 23 unknown). Individuals with longer ( shorter) symptom duration had poorer sleep scores for multiple questionnaires, but SARS-CoV-2 infection had no independent effect on sleep. However, previously infected ( uninfected) individuals had greater fatigue, over a year since infection. Longer symptom duration, poorer sleep scores and greater fatigue were also associated with higher contemporaneous levels of anxiety and depression; however, an independent effect of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection on fatigue remained after adjustment. Higher body mass index, greater age and prior co-morbidities also independently worsened sleep scores.
Sleep disturbance contributes to prolonged symptom reporting, irrespective of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Proven sleep interventions may help individuals with post-pandemic fatigue, including PCS.
2019冠状病毒病疫情在全球范围内扰乱了感染者和未感染者的睡眠。严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2(SARS-CoV-2)感染后的长期症状(尤其是疲劳)(新冠后综合征(PCS))仍是一个健康问题。PCS与睡眠障碍之间是否存在关联在很大程度上尚不清楚,大多数研究缺乏未感染的对照。我们评估了英国一个大型队列中的睡眠行为,分析了睡眠中断、疲劳、SARS-CoV-2感染和症状持续时间。
先前从伦敦国王学院ZOE新冠症状研究招募到新冠症状研究生物样本库的英国成年人,进行前瞻性症状记录和SARS-CoV-2检测,受邀完成关于睡眠(匹兹堡睡眠质量指数、睡眠状况指标、STOP-Bang问卷和爱泼华嗜睡量表)、疲劳(查尔德疲劳量表)和心理健康(广泛性焦虑障碍2量表和患者健康问卷2)的在线有效问卷。分析数据时考虑了SARS-CoV-2感染、症状持续时间和合并症,包括心理健康状况。
8355名参与者中有3833人完成了问卷(2089人感染,1721人未感染,23人情况不明)。症状持续时间较长(较短)的个体在多项问卷中的睡眠得分较差,但SARS-CoV-2感染对睡眠没有独立影响。然而,在感染一年多后,先前感染(未感染)的个体疲劳感更强。症状持续时间较长、睡眠得分较差和疲劳感更强也与同期较高的焦虑和抑郁水平相关;然而,调整后,先前SARS-CoV-2感染对疲劳仍有独立影响。较高的体重指数、较大的年龄和先前的合并症也会独立地使睡眠得分变差。
无论是否感染SARS-CoV-2,睡眠障碍都会导致症状报告持续时间延长。经证实的睡眠干预措施可能有助于患有包括PCS在内的疫情后疲劳的个体。