Despite improved possibilities for early diagnosis and medical treatment rheumatoid arthritis (RA) still causes stiffness and swelling in the joints. Poor sleep, chronic pain, fatigue, reduced physical function, depression and reduced quality of life are consequences of these symptoms and the inflammation is.^1–3 About 60%–80% of patients with RA report poor sleep compared to 10%–30% in the background population.^4–6 Patients with RA indicate sleep as one of the most important parameters evaluating their medical treatment with anti-rheumatics, which indicate the impact sleep can have on physical and mental well-being.⁷

Common meanings of good and bad sleep in a healthy population is characterised by subjective satisfaction, appropriate timing, adequate duration, high efficiency, and sustained alertness during waking hours.⁸ Thereby, sleep health is seen as a multidimensional pattern of sleep-wake-fullness, adapted to individual, social, and environmental demands, that promotes physical and mental well-being.

Initially, this lecture will focus on “state of the art” regarding sleep and inflammatory joint diseases. Also different suggestions of non-pharmacological treatments targeting improved sleep quality will be presented.

Subsequently, experiences from a nurse-led sleep outpatient clinic which was established in 2016 in the Department of Rheumatology and Spine diseases, Rigshospitalet – Glostrup, will be presented focusing on how the clinic is organised and how specialised nurses are meeting patients with poor sleep with non-pharmacological interventions. We have systematically collected data about the patients sleep when included in the clinic for treatment and when discharged from the clinic. We will present results from these patients.

References [1] Uhlig, T., et al., Rheumatoid arthritis is milder in the new millennium: health status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis 1994–2004. Ann Rheum Dis, 2008. 67(12): p. 1710–5.

[2] Hewlett, S., et al., ‘I’m hurting, I want to kill myself’: rheumatoid arthritis flare is more than a high joint count--an international patient perspective on flare where medical help is sought. Rheumatology (Oxford), 2012. 51(1): p. 69–76.

[3] Carr, A., et al., Rheumatology outcomes: the patient’s perspective. J Rheumatol, 2003. 30(4): p. 880–3.

[4] Loppenthin, K., et al., Sleep quality and correlates of poor sleep in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Rheumatol, 2015. 34(12): p. 2029–39. 5. Goes, A.C.J., et al., Rheumatoid arthritis and sleep quality. Rev Bras Reumatol Engl Ed, 2017. 57(4): p. 294–298.

[6] Abbasi, M., Z. Yazdi, and N. Rezaie, Sleep disturbances in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Niger J Med, 2013. 22(3): p. 181–6.

[7] Kirwan, J.R., et al., Incorporating the patient perspective into outcome assessment in rheumatoid arthritis--progress at OMERACT 7. J Rheumatol, 2005. 32(11): p. 2250–6.

[8] Dickerson, S.S., K.J. K.J. Klingman, and C.R. C.R. Jungquist, Common meanings of good and bad sleep in a healthy population sample. Sleep Health, 2016. 2(3): p. 253–259.

Disclosure of Interest None declared