Patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who experienced higher levels of sleep disturbances were more likely to have greater difficulties with daily activities because of pain 6 months later.

"Identification and early intervention in problematic sleep patterns may contribute to enhanced long-term pain outcomes," the authors wrote.

This study was led by Burcu Aydemir, PhD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago. It was published online on May 12, 2025, in Arthritis Care and Research.

This study relied on patient-reported assessments for sleep and pain interference, which may have introduced bias. Although the study accounted for several important confounders, it likely did not eliminate all potential sources of bias from unmeasured confounding. Additionally, the study did not assess the impact of the duration of sleep disturbances, so it's unclear how persistent or temporary sleep issues can affect pain interference outcomes.

The Canadian Arthritis Cohort study received funding from Pfizer, AbbVie, Hoffman La Roche, and other sources. Some authors reported receiving research support, grants, consulting fees, payments, or honoraria from; holding stocks of; or having other ties with various sources, including the funding agencies.