Almost half (42%) of patients with skin disease experience sleep disturbances, a study revealed.
The study presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2023, was part of a comprehensive international research initiative called the All Project, under which over 50,000 adults across 20 countries were analysed to understand the impact of skin diseases.
The study highlighted that ‘these sleep disturbances were found to have broader implications on patients’ quality of life. Nearly half (49%) of patients with skin disease reported reduced productivity at work, in contrast with just one in five (19%) participants without a skin disease.
The study found that ‘The main symptoms that impacted the sleep of patients with skin disease were itching (60%) and burning sensations or tingling (17%). Additionally, patients more frequently experienced a feeling of fatigue as soon as they woke up (81% vs 64% in the non-skin disease population), periods of drowsiness during the day (83% vs 71%), tingling sensations in the eyes (58% vs 42%) and repeated yawning (72% vs 58%) than those who did not have a skin disease.
The study’s lead author Dr Charles Taieb commented, ‘Our study is the first to uncover the profound impact of sleep disturbances on the physical functioning of patients with skin disease, and these findings underscore the critical need for early detection and effective management of sleep disturbances.’
This study’s co-author Dr Bruno Halioua added, ‘Moving forward, healthcare providers should be encouraged to integrate sleep disturbance questions into the examinations of patients with skin conditions to foster a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of skin diseases. Ultimately, the ALL PROJECT aims to spotlight the impact of skin diseases and associated patient experiences so we can mitigate these adverse effects and improve the quality of life for patients.’