# Longitudinal relationships among sleep health, systemic inflammation, and disease activity in psoriatic arthritis

> **NIH NIH K23** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2024 · $173,880

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Research: Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that often leads to disability and reduced
health-related quality of life. Even with recommended therapy, less than 40% of patients achieve treatment
targets such as minimal disease activity (MDA). We previously showed that 73% of patients with PsA experience
poor sleep quality compared to 27% of “healthy controls”, and that poor sleep quality is associated with markers
of disease activity such as swollen joint counts and pain. Furthermore, our qualitative research suggests a
bidirectional relationship between PsA disease activity and sleep quality. Our proposed 12-month longitudinal
prospective study will document both objective (i.e., actigraphy) and subjective (i.e., sleep diaries and
questionnaires) measures of sleep, novel serum inflammatory markers, and achievement of MDA to test the
overarching hypothesis that sleep quality and disease activity are bidirectionally associated, and that these
associations are mediated by systemic inflammation. Specifically, we will determine whether (1). poor sleep
quality (exposure) reduces the probability of achieving sustained MDA (outcome), (2). moderate-to-high disease
activity (exposure) reduces the probability of achieving sustained good sleep quality (outcome), and (3) that
systemic inflammation is a mediator in the causal pathway of these associations. The overarching goals of this
proposal are to a) better understand the relationship between sleep and PsA disease activity to support the
development and testing of interventions to improve sleep health and short and long-term outcomes in PsA and
b) provide a training vehicle for Dr. Perez Chada to become an independent investigator. Candidate: Dr. Perez
Chada is a dermatologist with current expertise in psoriatic disease and outcome measures research.
Environment: Dr. Klerman, the candidate’s primary mentor, and her co-mentors (Dr. Alexis Ogdie, Dr. Monika
Haack, and Dr. Joseph Merola) have directly supervised the training of numerous successful junior faculty
members. Harvard Medical School and its hospitals and its Division of Sleep Medicine (DSM) offer a rich training
environment including resources and expertise. These are available in the NIH-supported DSM Research
Training Program in Sleep, Circadian and Respiratory Neurobiology; the Harvard School of Public Health; and
Harvard Catalyst. Combined with the expertise available in her mentors’ lab, these opportunities will be important
training for Dr. Perez Chada’s career. Career Development: Dr. Perez Chada’s long-term career goal is to
become an R01-funded independent, patient-oriented physician-scientist. Dr. Perez Chada’s training will focus
on sleep physiology and analysis, advanced biostatical and epidemiological techniques, mechanisms of
inflammation, and rheumatology. Completion of the proposed research and career development plan will give
the candidate the knowledge and skills to be uniquely p...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10864337
- **Project number:** 1K23AR084074-01
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Lourdes Perez Chada
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $173,880
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-13 → 2029-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10864337

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10864337, Longitudinal relationships among sleep health, systemic inflammation, and disease activity in psoriatic arthritis (1K23AR084074-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10864337. Licensed CC0.

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