Insomnia in central Pennsylvania

OBJECTIVE: Establish the association between insomnia and various physical and mental health symptoms as well as objective measures of sleep disturbance while controlling for age, gender and BMI in a large random sample of the general public. METHODS: A subsample (N=1741) was selected for a single-night sleep laboratory evaluation from a larger random sample (N=16,583) of the general public (20-100 years old). RESULTS: The prevalence of insomnia was 7.5% and difficulty sleeping an additional 22.4%. The complaints were more frequent in women and in non-Caucasian minorities. A multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that depression was the single strongest factor followed by female gender associated with either insomnia or difficulty sleeping. Minority status and a history of colitis, hypertension and anemia were also associated, but to a lesser degree. The final model did not include age, BMI as well as any of the sleep laboratory findings. CONCLUSION: These findings support the conclusion that mental health variables have the primary independent association with a complaint of insomnia. Other factors including minorities and hypertension are also independently associated, though to a lesser degree. Other primary sleep disorders, e.g., sleep apnea, do not seem to play a major role in insomnia. These findings underscore the fact that insomnia is a symptom associated with a wide variety of mental and physical health problems requiring a proper psychiatric and medical management.     

Report of an EFNS task force on management of sleep disorders in neurologic disease (degenerative neurologic disorders and stroke)

A task force to develop guidelines for diagnostic evaluation and treatment of sleep disorders in degenerative neurologic disorders and stroke was initiated by the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS). The aims were to provide evidence-based recommendations in the management of sleep disorders associated with degenerative neurologic disorders and stroke.
Neurological patients often have significant sleep disorders like sleep-related breathing disorders (SBD), insomnia, sleep-related motor and rapid eye movement behavioral disorders affecting nocturnal sleep and daytime function.
A polysomnography (PSG) is usually a diagnostic minimum for the diagnoses of the most commonly reported sleep disorders in patients with neurologic diseases. A full video-PSG/video-EEG-PSG should be considered in patients with nocturnal motor and/behavior manifestations.
Respiratory polygraphy has a moderate sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of SBD without neurologic diseases, but its value in patients with neurologic diseases has not been evaluated. Oximetry has a poor sensitivity-specificity for the identification of SDB.
Continuous and bi-level positive airway pressure devices are the most effective treatment of SDB in patients with neurologic diseases.
There is a need for further studies focusing on the diagnostic procedures and treatment modalities in patients with sleep disorders and degenerative neurologic diseases and stroke.     

Insomnia symptoms,objectively measured sleep,and disease severity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease outpatients

BackgroundSleep disturbances are known to have a negative impact on a range of clinical outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We examined the associations of insomnia symptoms and objectively measured sleep parameters to a composite score for body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise capacity (BODE) index (a multidimensional index of COPD severity), arterial blood gases, nocturnal respiratory disturbances, periodic limb movements (PLM), psychologic distress, pain, age, and sex.MethodsThe sample comprised 73 COPD outpatients (mean age, 63.6 years; standard deviation {SD}, 7.5; range 47–85 years; 41.1% women). Insomnia symptoms were measured with the Bergen Insomnia Scale (BIS) and sleep efficiency (SE), slow-wave sleep (SWS), and total sleep time (TST) were assessed with clinical polysomnography (PSG).ResultsBODE index was positively associated with composite BIS score (P = .040). Patients with more severe COPD presented more complaints of nonrestorative sleep compared to patients with less severe COPD (P = .010). In multivariate analysis, the composite BIS score was independently associated with PLM (P < .001), nocturnal respiratory disturbances (P = .001), pain (P = .031), and psychologic distress (P = .044) but not with the BODE index. Objectively measured sleep variables were not associated with any of the health-related variables.ConclusionInsomnia symptoms in COPD patients result from a wide range of health-related factors. More severe COPD may be associated with a subjective experience of nonrestorative sleep but not with objectively measured sleep variables.     

失眠症患者主客观睡眠状况分析

目的：探讨失眠症患者主客观睡眠状况及其临床意义。方法：对71例失眠症患者及27例正常对照者进行睡眠调查及全夜多导睡眠图(PSG)检测。结果：失眠症组主观入睡时间、醒觉次数、睡眠潜伏期的评估值较PSG检测值显著增高；主客观入睡时间的评估显著不一致。结论：失眠症患者对失眠障碍主客观评估不一致，在临床诊断时应引起重视。     

Classification and diagnostic criteria for demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system: Where do we stand today?

The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system is challenging, and although the currently available biological and imaging tools offer considerable support to physicians, these tools often fail to provide a simple and final answer at the time of a first event. Thus, sets of diagnostic criteria have been published and tested on patient cohorts, and are now used in clinical trials and in daily clinical practice. These criteria have evolved over time to take into account physicians’ and patients’ needs, along with emerging paraclinical tests. The different presentations of MS have given rise to the use of a common classification system to identify patient profiles and adapt care protocols accordingly. This article reviews the various classifications of the forms and diagnostic criteria of MS and related syndromes, including neuromyelitis optica (NMO)/NMO spectrum disorders (NMOSDs), acute disseminated (demyelinating) encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS). Also discussed is their validity in the light of the currently available literature.     

The effect of baclofen on objective and subjective sleep measures in a model of transient insomnia

Study objectivesInsomnia is a common medical complaint. Current pharmacologic treatments have modest efficacy and numerous side effects. Baclofen is a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)b receptor agonist used to treat spasticity in various medical conditions. Several studies noted that baclofen, when used to treat sleep related disorders, resulted in improvement in sleep parameters. Measures of insomnia, however, were not assessed in those studies. To date, baclofen has not been assessed for efficacy in the treatment of insomnia.MethodsWe randomized 20 healthy subjects to baclofen or placebo in a cross over design. All subjects underwent two polysomnograms (PSG) assessing sleep parameters. Baclofen or placebo was given 90 min prior to lights out in random order for each subject. Lights out occurred two hours earlier than the subject's median habitual bedtime.ResultsBaclofen resulted in significantly less objective wake after sleep onset and stage 1 sleep, and significantly increased total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, and stage 3/4 sleep. There was no effect on sleep onset latency (SOL). Self-report variables indicated significantly less subjective awakenings from sleep and increased subjective sleep quality. There was no effect on subjective TST or subjective SOL.ConclusionsThis study showed that baclofen was superior to placebo with regard to several objective and subjective measures used to assess sleep quality. These data support the notion that baclofen shows promise as an effective hypnotic drug.     

Determination of acetylcholine concentration in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurologic diseases

Introduction - Acetylcholine (ACh) is a well known neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, but determining its level in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is very difficult and the origin of CSF ACh is still unknown. In this study, we attempted to measure CSF ACh by a specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay (RIA) from patients with neurologic diseases. Material and methods - Patients with cerebral infarction ( n = 7), Parkinson's disease ( n = 6), spinocerebellar degeneration ( n = 6), Alzheimer's disease ( n = 3), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( n = 3) and disc herniation with no central nervous involvement ( n = 8) participated to determine the CSF ACh levels. Results - Of these 33 patients, the mean ACh level in CSF was 282.2 ± 61.7 fmol/ml (mean ± SE, range 20–1505.8 fmol/ml). The mean ACh level of spinocerebellar degeneration group was lower than others, but not statistically significant. Conclusion - We conclude that an amount of ACh detectable by RIA is certainly present in CSF     

Prediction of normal values for central apnea-hypopnea index at different ages and altitudes above sea level in healthy children

BackgroundThere is a critical need for studies aimed to help clinicians to establish the normal/expected central apnea-hypopnea index (CAHI) at altitudes above sea level and ages other than those reported in the current available studies. The aim of the present study was to develop predictive models useful for determining the normal/expected CAHI in children of different ages born and living at various altitudes above sea level.MethodsA systematic review of the literature was performed in order to identify all available studies that reported on CAHI values measured in healthy children of different ages and living at various levels above sea level. In order to identify factors independently associated with CAHI values, they were fit to multiple linear and quantile regression models.ResultsA total of 16 studies that reported on CAHI values measured in healthy children living at various levels above sea level were included in the analyses. Out of the 16 studies, 12 (75%) were conducted in low-altitude cities, 1 (6.2%) was conducted in a medium-altitude city, 2 (12.5%) in high-altitude cities, and 1 (6.2%) in both low- and high-altitude cities. Age and altitude above sea level are independent predictors of CAHI values in the linear regression analysis and in the quantile regression at the ninetieth percentile.ConclusionsThe best-fitting prediction equations were obtained with linear regression and quantile regression at the ninetieth percentile analyses, and either of the two models could be used to predict the normal/expected CAHI values in healthy children.     

Actigraphy scoring for sleep outcome measures in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BackgroundActigraphy is commonly used to measure sleep outcomes so that sleep can be measured conveniently at home over multiple nights. Actigraphy has been validated in people with sleep disturbances; however, the validity of scoring settings in people with chronic medical illnesses such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remains unclear. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to compare actigraphy-customized scoring settings with polysomnography (PSG) for the measurement of sleep outcomes in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who have insomnia.MethodsParticipants underwent overnight sleep assessment simultaneously by PSG and actigraphy at the University of Illinois of Chicago Sleep Science Center. Fifty participants (35 men and 15 women) with mild-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and co-existing insomnia were included in the analysis. Sleep onset latency, total sleep time (TST), wake after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep efficiency (SE) were calculated independently from data derived from PSG and actigraphy. Actigraphy sleep outcome scores obtained at the default setting and several customized actigraphy settings were compared to the scored PSG results.ResultsAlthough no single setting was optimal for all sleep outcomes, the combination of 10 consecutive immobile minutes for sleep onset or end and an activity threshold of 10 worked well. Actigraphy overestimated TST and SE and underestimated WASO, but there was no difference in variance between PSG and actigraphy in TST and SE when the 10 × 10 combination was used. As the average TST and SE increased, the agreement between PSG and actigraphy appeared to increase, and as the average WASO decreased, the agreement between PSG and actigraphy appeared to increase.ConclusionResults support the conclusion that the default actigraphy settings may not be optimal for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and co-existing insomnia.     

Insomnia and health-related quality of life in stroke

Abstract

Background:

Insomnia is a common complaint in stroke survivors. Insomnia after stroke is correlated with physical disability, dementia, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. However, the influence of insomnia following stroke on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has not been investigated.

Objectives:

The current study aimed to examine the effect of insomnia on HRQoL in stroke survivors 3 months after their index stroke over and above confounding variables.

Method:

Three hundred and thirty-six patients were recruited from the acute stroke unit in a regional hospital in Hong Kong. Insomnia was ascertained by a single item on a locally validated, seven-item insomnia questionnaire. HRQoL was measured by the total score and the 12 domain scores of the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SSQoL) scale. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained using the following scales: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Barthel Index (BI), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS).

Results:

Forty-four percent of stroke survivors reported experiencing insomnia in the past month; they were more likely to be female and to have a higher GDS score. The insomnia group had significantly lower overall SSQoL, energy and thinking scores after adjusting for sex, BI, and GDS scores.

Conclusion:

The findings show that stroke survivors who experienced insomnia had a reduced overall HRQoL and were impaired in the energy and thinking domains of HRQoL. Early screening for sleep disturbance would be beneficial to prevent later development of post-stroke insomnia. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are suggested to improve HRQoL in stroke patients with insomnia.     

中央沟附近胶质瘤的诊断和手术治疗

目的提高中央沟附近胶质瘤的手术治疗效果,改善生活质量。方法回顾性总结1995年至2001年我科治疗的中央沟附近87例胶质瘤的临床表现、诊断和手术方式的选择与预后。结果87例胶质瘤中,肿瘤主体位于中央沟前38例,位于中央沟后30例,主体位于中央沟下方19例。临床上首发症状为癫痫的62例,以进行性一侧肢体无力15例,以头痛等颅内压增高症状为主要表现起病的10例。术后病理提示星形细胞瘤58例,少突胶质瘤细胞瘤20例,少突胶质细胞与星形细胞混合瘤6例,胶质细胞增生3例。按Kernohan分级分类,其中星形细胞瘤中星形细胞瘤Ⅰ级6例,星形细胞瘤Ⅱ级29例,星形细胞瘤Ⅲ-Ⅳ级23例;少突胶质细胞瘤中Ⅰ级6例,Ⅱ级14例。在肉眼下肿瘤全切除70例,次全切除17例。术后肢体功能障碍较术前减轻20例,不变25例,短期加重而后肢体恢复的有12例,加重30例,无手术死亡。结论术前要充分了解肿瘤的解剖位置和周围结构的毗邻关系,采用显微外科技术在软膜下切除肿瘤,保护中央沟静脉解剖和功能的完整,是手术的关键。     

MRI和CT在中枢神经系统淋巴瘤诊断中的应用价值

目的：分析M RI及C T在中枢神经系统淋巴瘤诊断中的特点及应用价值。方法抽取2010‐01—2013‐01我院神经内科收治的中枢神经系统淋巴瘤患者80例为研究对象,分别采用M RI及C T辅助诊断,并与病理切片结果对比,观察中枢神经系统淋巴瘤的病变特点,并比较两种检查方法诊断的准确率。结果患者肿瘤特点以基底节区、单发、CT呈高密度或等密度、MRI呈T1等信号或偏低信号、中度水肿、边缘清晰为主;患者经MRI与CT 诊断后与病理切片结果相比诊断准确率均较高,差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。结论在中枢神经系统淋巴瘤的诊断中采用MRI以及CT方法辅助诊断具有较高的准确率,应用价值显著,值得临床应用和普及。     

原发性中枢神经系统淋巴瘤的诊治

目的 探讨原发性中枢神经系统细胞瘤的临床诊断和治疗.方法 回顾性分析我院2001年12月至2005年5月间经立体定向活检或手术病理证实的12例原发性中枢神经系统细胞瘤临床表现特点及治疗结果.结果 12例病人中手术切除7例,立体定向活检5例.本组12例共21个肿瘤,其中7例(58.3%)为多发性肿瘤,肿瘤多位于额部、颞顶部及基底节区,11例(91.7%)病人肿瘤主体均位于小脑幕上.组织病理学检查发现12例病人均为B细胞来源.4例病人辅以放疗,8例病人辅以放疗和化疗,生存时间为4-37个月,中位生存时间为16.3个月.结论 原发性中枢神经系统细胞瘤术前诊断困难,预后差,诊断主要靠病理.该疾病多采用综合治疗,术后辅以放、化疗.近年的大剂量甲氨蝶呤化疗受到关注.     

The diagnostic threshold of generalized anxiety disorder in the community: a developmental perspective

Discussion surrounds the question as to whether criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) should change, particularly in youth. This study examines the effects of possible criteria changes on GAD prevalence and clinical correlates. DSM-IV GAD was assessed using the M-CIDI in a community sample of adolescents and young adults. Diagnostic thresholds were modified in two age spans (9-20 and 21-34 years) using a person-by-year data file (N = 38,534 cases). Relaxing the duration or excessiveness criteria led to the most pronounced changes in GAD prevalence, while relaxing frequency, uncontrollability, or associated-symptom criteria had smaller effects. A lower duration requirement increased rates more in older than younger age spans. Opposite effects occurred for changes in associated-symptoms or clinical-significance criteria. Broader GAD definitions identified cases in both age spans that appeared mostly milder than DSM-IV cases but that still differed from non-GAD cases in various clinical factors and validators. Developmental aspects require stronger consideration in future diagnostic systems.     

Insomnia symptoms and sleep duration and their combined effects in relation to associations with obesity and central obesity

ObjectivePrevious studies have shown that both sleep duration and insomnia have an impact on obesity and central obesity. However, studies of the joint effects of these sleep disorders are still sparse.MethodsThe present study utilized data from the Swedish EpiHealth cohort study. Participants (45–78 y) were asked to fill out an internet-based questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI) and central obesity (calculated from waist circumference) were based on measured data.ResultsA total of 18,823 participants (mean age = 60 ys) were included in this study. The reported prevalence of short (<6 h/night) and long (>9 h/night) sleep duration was 8% and 4% respectively, and insomnia symptoms was 19%. Of the study population, 16% were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) and 40% had central obesity. There was a U-shaped association between sleep duration and obesity and central obesity, and significant associations between insomnia symptoms and obesity. When stratifying sleep duration by concurrent insomnia symptoms, there were associations (odds ratios, (95% confidence intervals)) between the combination of both short (1.48, (1.22–1.80)) and long sleep duration (1.77 (1.00–3.16)) with insomnia symptoms and obesity and central obesity (1.36 (1.16–1.61) and 2.44 (1.41–3.24) respectively). However, there was no significant association between insomnia symptoms and obesity or central obesity in participants with normal sleep duration. For central obesity there was an association with long sleep duration regardless of insomnia symptoms, while the association with short sleep duration was significant only if insomnia symptoms were present.ConclusionsBoth short and long sleep duration, as well as insomnia symptoms, are associated with obesity and central obesity. There is an important joint effect of sleep duration and insomnia symptoms and there is no association between insomnia symptoms and obesity, as long as a normal sleeping time can be attained. This indicates that sleep duration rather than insomnia symptoms per se is of importance for the relationship between sleep and obesity.     

468例儿童中枢神经系统肿瘤临床分析

目的 探讨儿童中枢神经系统肿瘤的发病特点、临床表现、病理学特点、治疗效果及其相互关系.方法 1999年1月至2009年1月期间收治的并获得组织病理学诊断的儿童(≤16岁)中枢神经系统肿瘤468例,按照WHO 2007年中枢神经系统肿瘤分类,进行回顾性分析.结果 颅内和椎管内肿瘤分别为431例(92.1％)和37例(7.9％),幕上288例(67.0％),幕下143例(33.0％).男女发病比为1.67∶1,各年龄段均有发病,随年龄的增长肿瘤发病率呈增高趋势.颅内最常见的五种肿瘤类型依次是星形细胞瘤(26.5％)、颅咽管瘤(15.5％)、生殖细胞肿瘤(12.5％)、髓母细胞瘤(10.2％)及室管膜瘤(7.4％).椎管内肿瘤最常见的是神经鞘瘤(48.6％)、星形细胞瘤(21.6％)和间叶肿瘤(13.5％).高级别肿瘤治疗后2年生存率为83.4％,5年生存率可达到65.0％.结论 儿童中枢神经系统肿瘤发病以男性居多,幕上多于幕下,星形细胞瘤最常见,临床表现与肿瘤部位及年龄相关,手术治疗是主要治疗手段,术后辅以放化疗可改善预后.     

Relationship between Personality and Insomnia in Panic Disorder Patients

Objective

Panic disorder (PD) is frequently comorbid with insomnia, which could exacerbate panic symptoms and contribute to PD relapse. Research has suggested that characteristics are implicated in both PD and insomnia. However, there are no reports examining whether temperament and character affect insomnia in PD. Thus, we examined the relationship between insomnia and personality characteristics in PD patients.

Methods

Participants were 101 patients, recruited from 6 university hospitals in Korea, who met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for PD. We assessed sleep outcomes using the sleep items of 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17)(item 4=onset latency, item 5=middle awakening, and item 6=early awakening) and used the Cloninger''s Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised-Short to assess personality characteristics. To examine the relationship between personality and insomnia, we used analysis of variance with age, sex, and severity of depression (total HAMD scores minus sum of the three sleep items) as the covariates.

Results

There were no statistical differences (p>0.1) in demographic and clinical data between patients with and without insomnia. Initial insomnia (delayed sleep onset) correlated to a high score on the temperamental dimension of novelty seeking 3 (NS3)(F_1,96=6.93, p=0.03). There were no statistical differences (p>0.1) in NS3 between patients with and without middle or terminal insomnia.

Conclusion

The present study suggests that higher NS3 is related to the development of initial insomnia in PD and that temperament and character should be considered when assessing sleep problems in PD patients.     

Insomnia in the elderly : Prevalence,gender differences and relationships with morbidity and mortality

A sample of 1070 people aged 65 and over living in the Liverpool community was interviewed in 1982/3. Those traced were then reinterviewed 3 years later. Information was collected on the prevalence of perceived insomnia using a community version of the Geriatric Mental State (GMS), which also provided a diagnosis using AGECAT. Thirty-five per cent reported trouble sleeping, which was twice as common in women as men and was not wholly accounted for by the increased prevalence of mental illness in elderly women. There was no change in prevalence with age, but insomnia was more frequent in the depressed group (70%). Insomnia is more likely with increasing serverity of depression but was also common in the well group and hence is not a specific indicator. No relationship was found between mortality at year 3 and insomnia or hypnotic use at year 0. Use of hypnotics was related to the presence of sleep disturbance, but not to having a psychiatric diagnosis. Medical intervention may be much more successful in reducing the prevalence of benzodiazepine usage than may have been realized.     

中枢神经系统冲击波损伤及救治原则

由于炮弹、航弹、导弹、地雷等爆炸性武器在现代战争中广泛使用,爆炸伤的发生率居于所有战伤伤类的首位,高达60%～90%[1-3].平时爆炸伤多见于易爆物在制造、储存、运输过程中发生的意外爆炸、煤矿、锅炉事故、恐怖分子袭击等.爆炸是固、液体快速发生物理、化学反应转化为气体时能量释放.     

Korean Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Insomnia in Adults

Objective We aim to present a clinical guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia in adults by reviewing and integrating existing clinical guidelines. The purpose of this guideline is to assist clinicians who perform evidence-based insomnia treatment. Methods We selected literature that may be appropriate for use in guideline development from evidence-based practice guidelines that have been issued by an academic or governmental institution within the last five years. The core question of this guideline was made in sentence form including Patient/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) elements. After searching PubMed, EMBASE, and medical guideline issuing agencies, three guidelines were judged to be the most appropriately reviewed, up-to-date, and from trusted sources. Results The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool was used to evaluate the quality of the three clinical guidelines. The final outcome of the guideline development process is a total of 15 recommendations that report the strength of the recommendation, the quality of evidence, a summary of content, and considerations in applying the recommendation. Conclusion It is vital for clinical guidelines for insomnia to be developed and continually updated in order to provide more accurate evidence-based treatments to patients.