Abstract
Sleep problems are frequent among people living with HIV (PLWH). Recent studies have found that inadequate nutritional status and presence of gastrointestinal symptoms are associated with sleep problems. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of nutritional status and gastrointestinal symptoms on sleep quality in PLWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). A cross-sectional study evaluating the influence of nutritional and gastrointestinal aspects on the quality of sleep in 307 PLWH (age ≥18 years) receiving ART seen at the Specialized Care Service of Santos (SP, Brazil) was carried out. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), body mass index and three questions from the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) were used. Generalized linear models adjusted for gender, age, time in use of antiretrovirals, viral load, CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell count and CD4/CD8 ratio were built. Results showed that body mass index did not affect sleep quality. However, the interaction between poor appetite and not having poor digestion and uncomfortable feelings in the stomach negatively influenced sleep quality. The interaction of the three symptoms evaluated also affected sleep quality. Gastrointestinal symptoms were associated with reduced sleep quality, but there was no influence of BMI. Although the etiology of this relationship is unclear, there seems to be an important association between sleep quality, immune function and gastrointestinal disorders.
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