PROJECT SUMMARY
Poor sleep is common in people with Crohn’s disease (CD) and predicts greater likelihood of symptom flares,
surgery, hospitalization, and reduced quality of life. Insomnia disorder – chronic difficulty with initiating or
maintaining sleep – is the most common sleep disorder in this population. It is also associated with increases
in both chronic pain and inflammation. While insomnia in this population may initially develop due to CD flares,
our preliminary data indicate that people with CD and insomnia report insomnia-related behaviors and are
interested in treatment for their sleep problems.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment for insomnia
disorder. It is highly effective not only for treating insomnia, but also for improving pain and inflammation.
However, while effectiveness of CBT-I has been demonstrated in other populations, nighttime bowel
movements and the hypervigilance that results from fear of fecal incontinence are unique to Crohn’s,
highlighting the importance of investigation in this population.
In this K23 project, the applicant will conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial of CBT-I adapted for CD vs
control in 60 adults with CD and insomnia. Using a mixed-methods approach, she will investigate: 1) the
feasibility and acceptability of CBT-I in CD; 2) the impact of CBT-I on insomnia, sleep patterns, CD symptoms,
and inflammation; and 3) treatment response subgroups and barriers and facilitators to intervention
engagement. This research is expected to advance our understanding of the sleep/CD relationship and
possible treatment options for a significant problem affecting this population.
To support the applicant’s career development, training goals, and proposed research project, she has
assembled an exceptional mentorship team that brings expertise in CD pathophysiology, assessment, and
management (Dr. Corey Siegel), objective sleep assessment and CBT-I (Dr. Michael Smith), mixed-methods
research (Dr. Kelly Aschbrenner), behavioral clinical trials in IBD (Dr. Laurie Keefer), and longitudinal methods
and data analysis (Dr. Tor Tosteson). The applicant’s training will involve a combination of didactic and
practical experiences, conferences, and use of the excellent research infrastructure supported by Dartmouth-
Hitchcock Health and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. This comprehensive program of training
and research will prepare her to compete for NIH R01 funding to evaluate the effectiveness of CBT-I compared
to control in a larger, fully powered randomized controlled trial.
