Relationship between sleep quality and pain intensity in patients with chronic low back pain

Abstract

ObjectiveThe general objective of this study was to determine the relationship between sleep quality and pain intensity in chronic low back pain patients. MethodCross-sectional analytic study with consecutive sampling. Chronic patients who met the inclusion criteria at clinic neurology Wahidin Sudirohusodo Makassar. Independent variable: sleep quality, measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)score. Dependent variable: pain intensity, measured by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)score. Data analysis using a Chi-Square test. ResultA total of 29 samples met our inclusion criteria and divided into two groups, 23 samples of poor sleep quality, and six samples of good sleep quality. Within the poor sleep quality group, five patients (21.7%) had mild pain intensity, 11 patients (47.8%) had moderate pain intensity, and seven patients (30.4%) had severe pain intensity. In good sleep quality, five patients (83.3%) had mild pain intensity, one patient (16.7%) had moderate pain intensity, and no samples with severe pain intensity. A significant relationship found between sleep quality and pain intensity (p=0.017). ConclusionThere is a relationship between sleep quality and pain intensity. Poor sleep quality is associated with increased pain intensity in patients with chronic low back pain.