Sleep and rheumatologic disorders.

Arthritis is the leading cause of chronic illness in the United States. Seventy-two percent of the adults aged 55 years and older with arthritis report sleep difficulties. This review discusses sleep disorders associated with rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, Behcet's disease, seronegative spondyloarthropathies, osteoarthritis, sarcoidosis, and fibromyalgia. We describe the inter-relationship between sleep complaints, disease activity, depression, sleep deprivation, and cytokines. An algorithm for evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders associated with rheumatologic diseases is proposed.