Association of sleep disorders with fatigue and quality of life in patients with MS

Background patients with MS suffer from sleep disorders and poor sleep quality at higher rates compared to general population. This could lead to impaired function and low quality of life in these patients. Three of the most common sleep disorders in patients with MS are obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless leg syndrome (RLS) and insomnia. we aim to investigate the effect of these disorders on patients with MS by their correlations with fatigue and quality of life. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 289 adult MS patients were recruited from Kashani Hospital, Iran, between 2023 and 2025. Berlin, IRLSQ and ISI questionnaires were utilized in presence of qualified specialist to assess sleep disorders. To investigate fatigue and quality of life MFIS, FSS and MSQOL-54 were utilized respectively. Results Prevalence of OSA, RLS and insomnia was 26.6%, 26.9 and 13.1% respectively. Age, sex and smoking were identified as major predictors of sleep disorders. significant correlation was observed between all three sleep disorders and fatigue and quality of life. Insomnia inserted the greatest impact, followed by RLS and OSA. Conclusion The high prevalence of sleep disorders in patients with MS and their association with high fatigue and low quality of life warrants clinicians’ attention. aging, female gender and smoking are major risk factors for these sleep disorders. High impact of insomnia on patients’ life emphasizes the clinical importance of recognizing and managing even subthreshold levels. RLS demonstrated a threshold effect on fatigue and quality of life at moderate or higher severities.