Do sleep quality and psychological factors link precancerous conditions of colorectal cancer? A retrospective case-control study

Little is known about the effect of sleep quality on the risk of precancerous conditions of colorectal cancer (PCRC). The role of psychological factors, including stress, resilience, and social support as closely related factors of sleep quality, was also discussed.Fifty-one patients with PCRC were compared with two control groups during the previous year in a retrospective case-control analysis: 74 patients with colorectal cancer and 145 healthy controls. Participants completed questionnaires measuring sleep quality, perceived stress, resilience, and social support one year prior to disease diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze the data.Increased risk of PCRC was associated with sleep disturbance≥2 and the negative factors of stress ≥14 compared with healthy controls. Decreased risk of PCRC was associated with resilience ≥31 and family support ≥18. In a multivariate model, sleep disturbance≥2 was significantly associated with an elevated risk of PCRC (OR = 20.15, 95% CI: 4.22 to 96.26).Physicians should be aware of the strong association between sleep disturbance≥2 and the increased risk for PCRC and explain the need for colonoscopy in patients with sleep disturbance≥2.