Poor Sleep Quality Prompts Inflammation

A growing body of scientific evidence links poor sleep quality to increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Arshed Quyyumi, from  Emory University (Georgia, USA), and colleagues surveyed 525 middle-aged people participating in the Morehouse-Emory Partnership to Eliminate Cardiovascular Health Disparities (META-Health) study on their sleep quality and sleep duration. The team found that acute sleep deprivation led to an increased production of inflammatory hormones and changes in blood vessel function. Specifically, individuals who reported six or fewer hours of sleep had higher levels of three inflammatory markers: fibrinogen, IL-6 and C-reactive protein. In particular, average C-reactive protein levels were about 25% higher (2 mg/L compared to 1.6 mg/L) in people who reported fewer than six hours of sleep, as compared to those reporting between six and nine hours.  Explaining that: “Poor sleep quality, and short sleep durations are associated with higher levels of inflammation,” the researchers conclude that:  “Normalizing sleep quality and duration may be a therapeutic target for improving [cardiovascular disease] risk.”

Alanna Morris, Dorothy Coverson, Lucy Fike, Yusuf Ahmed, Neli Stoyanova, W. Craig Hooper, Gary Gibbons, Donald Bliwise, Viola Vaccarino, Rebecca Din-Dzietham, Arshed Quyyumi.  “Sleep Quality and Duration are Associated with Higher Levels of Inflammatory Biomarkers: the META-Health Study” (Abstract 17806).  Circulation, 23 November 2010; 122: A17806.