Long-Term Follow-Up Study of 10 Adolescent Patients with Sleep-Wake Schedule Disorders

Abstract: Therapeutic trials for sleep-wake schedule disorders have been described, but a long-term follow-up of adolescents with such disorders have not previously been reported. We investigated 10 adolescents with sleep-wake schedule disorders who had formerly received intensive treatment. The investigation was carried out with detailed questionnaires about current sleep conditions and social state. The follow-ups were obtained from 1.2 to 11.2 years after the initial treatment. Three cases have remitted, and six have improved in illness severity. All patients showed improvement in social adaptation. Improvement in the social adaptation level was greater than improvement in the illness severity level. More cases should be studied to learn what factors influence the prognosis of these disorders.     

A multicenter study of sleep-wake rhythm disorders: Clinical features of sleep-wake rhythm disorders

A multicenter study of sleep-wake rhythm disorders (i.e. non-24 hour sleep-wake syndrome; non-24), delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), irregular sleep-wake pattern (irregular sleepers), and long sleepers, was conducted with the co-operation of 25 institutions. One hundred and twenty-one primary sleep-wake rhythm disorders were diagnosed and were classified as 13 non-24, 90 DSPS, 12 irregular and six long sleepers. The mean onset age was about 20 years old and psycho-social factors associating the onset of the disorder were identified in 36% of these patients. The major factors of sleep-wake disorders were personal relationships, advancing to a higher level education, gaining employment, and changes in environment. Most patients were ‘night active’ prior to appearance of their symptoms. Increase in night activities of modern society seem to result in the occurrence of such sleep-wake rhythm disorders.     

Clinical features of circadian rhythm sleep disorders in outpatients

The clinical data of 86 cases of primary circadian rhythm sleep disorder (primary CRSD) were retrospectively examined and compared to 40 cases of secondary circadian rhythm sleep disorder (secondary CRSD), who had presented with some kind of psychiatric or medical disorder, and had exhibited sleep-wake rhythm disorders that were judged to be secondary CRSD based on sleep logs. The comparison of cases found that: (i) the mean age at first presentation to the clinic was significantly younger for primary CRSD compared to secondary CRSD; (ii) more secondary CRSD cases were unemployed than were Primary CRSD cases; (iii) more cases in the secondary CRSD group had a clear trigger for sleep-wake rhythm disorder onset than cases in the primary CRSD group; and (iv) the types of sleep-wake rhythm disorders in the primary CRSD group consisted of delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), 72 (83.7%), non-24 pattern, 11 (12.8%), and irregular, 3 (3.5%). In the secondary CRSD group there were 25 (62.5%) cases of DSPS pattern, 1 (2.5%) of non-24 pattern and 14 (35.0%) with irregular pattern. The 56 (65.1%) cases with primary CRSD showed good response to vitamin B12 and bright light therapy; however, 28 (70.0%) cases with secondary CRSD did not respond to such therapies.     

Comparison of the antimanic efficacy of carbamazepine and lithium carbonate by double-blind controlled study

A multi-institutional study comparing the antimanic effect of carbamazepine (CBZ) and lithium carbonate (Li) was performed using a double-blind group comparison design in a series of 105 patients with bipolar disorders. CBZ and Li were given for four weeks using a fixed-flexible method at an equipotent dose ratio of 1:1, starting from an initial dosage of 400 mg with a maximum dosage of 1200 mg. The final global improvement rate, based on the number of cases showing moderate to marked amelioration of manic symptoms, was 62% in the CBZ group and 59% in the Li group, with no significant difference being found between the two groups. Incidence of cutaneous side-effects was significantly higher in the CBZ group. The mean daily dosage and serum level of CBZ in the fourth week were 674 +/- 239 mg and 7.3 +/- 2.4 micrograms/ml respectively; these were within the therapeutic range. The daily dose and serum level of Li, however, were 710 +/- 239 mg and 0.46 +/- 0.22 mEq/l, and the Li level seemed to be too low to compare its therapeutic effect with that of CBZ. Prior to the present study, approximately 80% of the patients in both groups had been receiving antipsychotic medication, equivalent to 8.0 mg of haloperidol on average, without favorable response. This medication was maintained unchanged during treatment. While the shortcomings of the present study limit the interpretation of the data, it may be suggested that the usefulness of CBZ as a drug for the treatment of manic states is comparable to that of Li.     

皮质类固醇治疗急性外伤性视神经病变疗效评价

目的 评价皮质激素对外伤性视神经病变的治疗作用及影响疗效的相关因素。方法 外伤性视神经病变61例,50例应用大剂量皮质激素(甲基强的松龙500～1000 mg/d)治疗;11例应用低剂量皮质激素(地塞米松10 mg/d)治疗。根据末次随访视力及治疗后视力的变化,评价治疗效果,并通过多因素分析筛选影响疗效的相关因素。结果 50例大剂量甲基强的松龙治疗组,显效12例,有效10例,无效28例,有效率44.0％;11例低剂量地塞米松治疗组,显效1例,有效3例,无效7例,有效率36.4％。两组间有效率无显著性差异(P=0.745)。Logistic回归分析显示有效率与伤后视力(P<0.001)及伤后开始治疗的时间(P=0.024)密切相关。结论 皮质激素对外伤性视神经病变有一定的治疗作用。伤后视力情况及伤后开始治疗的时间是影响疗效的重要因素。     

激素冲击对血浆置换治疗吉兰-巴雷综合征疗效的影响:临床疗效对比观察

目的观察合并应用激素冲击治疗对血浆置换(PE)治疗吉兰-巴雷综合征(GBS)患者疗效的影响。方法对发病后2周内入院的GBS患者采用分组对照观察,其中甲基强地松龙(MP)冲击组7例,PE治疗组12例,PE合并MP冲击组11例。治疗4周后比较不同治疗方案对GBS的疗效。结果入院时MP冲击组、PE治疗组和PE合并MP冲击组Hughes评分分别为(3.1±0.7)、(3.4±0.8)和(3.5±1.1),差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。治疗4周后比较各组评分改善情况结果表明,PE治疗组及PE合并MP冲击组均较MP冲击组病情改善明显(均P<0.05);而PE治疗组和PE合并MP冲击组的病情改善差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。另外,PE治疗组和PE合并MP冲击组在治疗4周时Hughes评分进步1分以上的比例分别为91.7%和81.8%,治疗4周后两组患者可独立步行5 m以上的比例分别为9/12例(75%)和9/11例(81.8%),均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论PE治疗和PE合并MP冲击对GBS疗效均明显优于单纯MP冲击治疗。至于MP冲击治疗对PE治疗GBS的短期疗效影响,尚有待于扩大样本进一步观察。     

Periodic fatigue symptoms due to desynchronization in a patient with non-24-h sleep-wake syndrome

A 43-year-old man complaining of recurrent fatigue symptoms and sleep disorders occurring periodically every 4 weeks was studied. Using a wrist worn actigraphy and an ambulatory rectal temperature monitoring apparatus, his sleep-wake cycle and rectal temperature were measured continuously for 4 months, while diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic interventions were conducted. It was found that after he gave up an attempt to keep to a 24-h-day, a free-running sleep wake pattern appeared but his fatigue symptoms disappeared. An analysis of the relationship between his sleep-wake cycle and the rectal temperature rhythm found that his fatigue symptoms did not appear when both rhythms were synchronized with each other. Artificial bright light therapy entrained him to a 24-h day without relapsing of fatigue symptoms. Desynchronization between a 24-h sleep-wake schedule and his circadian pacemaker may have caused his periodically appearing fatigue symptoms.     

Vitamin B12 treatment for delayed sleep phase syndrome: A multi-center double-blind study

Abstract  The active form of vitamin B₁₂ (methylcobalamin) has been reported to be effective on sleep-wake rhythm disorders. Previous studies, however, were performed under open trial, and the effect of vitamin B₁₂ has not been properly evaluated. The aim of this double-blind study was to investigate the efficacy of methylcobalamin on delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS). Methylcobalamin (3 mg/day) or placebo was administered for 4 weeks. The subjects were 50 patients with DSPS aged 13–55 years (26.8 ± 1.3), 27 of whom received the active drug while 23 received the placebo. No significant differences were observed between the 2 groups in subjective evaluations of mood or drowsiness during the daytime or in night sleep by sleep-log evaluation. These results indicate that 3 mg methylcobalamin administered over 4 weeks is not an effective treatment for DSPS.     

Melatonin treatment for rhythm disorder

Abstract We tried melatonin treatment in two patients with non-24 h sleep-wake syndrome, who did not respond to treatments by vitamin B₁₂, bright light therapy, or hypnotics. In one patient, melatonin 5–10 mg improved difficulty in falling asleep and in waking, although it failed to improve the sleep-wake rhythm. In another patient, melatonin 3 mg successfully changed the sleep-wake rhythm from free-running pattern to delayed sleep phase pattern. However, melatonin re-administration after a 4-month drug-free interval failed to improve his free-running sleep-wake rhythm. These results suggest that melatonin acted as a sleep inducer in one patient and as a phase setter in the other, although the effect on the latter patient was transient.     

A sighted man with non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome shows damped plasma melatonin rhythm

Abstract Twenty-four-hour profiles of plasma melatonin, cortisol and rectal temperature were measured longitudinally in a sighted man who has been suffering from sleep disorders for more than 10 years. The sleep-wake rhythm of this subject free-ran, despite his routine life, and occasionally showed a sign of internal desyn-chronization, where sleep was lengthened up to 30 h. These states were classified into the non-24-hour sleep-wake syndrome. Plasma melatonin concentrations in the subjective night remained at a low level and showed a damped circadian rhythm. At the same time, robust circadian rhythms were detected in plasma cortisol and rectal temperature, indicating that the circadian pacemaker was intact. The causal relationship between the damping of nocturnal melatonin rise and a failure of entrainment of the sleep-wake cycle is discussed.