Sleep time and sleep-related symptoms across two generations – results of the community-based RHINE and RHINESSA studies

Study objectivesTo analyze the association between sleep-related symptoms and sleep length in parents and their children in relation to other risk factors in both generations.MethodThe participants were parents (n = 5,855, age 54.3 ± 6.5 years, 45.2% men) who participated in the community-based Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) study and one random member of their adult offspring (n = 5,855, age 30.2 ± 7.7 years, 41.5% men) who participated in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) study. Both generations responded to identical questionnaires on sleep symptoms, including difficulty initiating sleep (DIS), difficulty maintaining sleep (DMS), early morning awakening (EMA), snoring, nocturnal sweating, nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux (nGER), sleep time and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Insomnia was defined as either, or both, DIS and DMS in combination with EDS.ResultsAll sleep variables except nocturnal sweating were more common in offspring whose parents had reported the same symptom. After adjusting for age, gender, BMI, smoking, physical activity, education, center and parents' total number of children, there were independent associations between sleep symptoms in parents and offspring for DIS (adj. OR, 95% CI: 1.52, 1.20–1.93), DMS (1.34, 1.15–1.56), snoring (1.45, 1.15,1.83), nGER (1.65, 1.15–2.37), insomnia (1.39, 1.13–1.73), short sleep time (<6 h/night) (2.51, 1.72–3.68) and EDS (1.48, 1.26,1.72). There were no independent relationships between symptoms in parents and offspring for EMA, nocturnal sweating or long sleep time (>9 h/night).ConclusionThe familiar aggregation of many sleep disturbances was not explained by investigated lifestyle and environmental factors. This supports a heritable factor in sleep problems.     

Additional bedtime H2‐receptor antagonist for the control of nocturnal gastric acid breakthrough: A Cochrane systematic review

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of additional bedtime H₂‐receptor antagonists (H₂RAs) in suppressing nocturnal gastric acid breakthrough (NAB) via a systematic review. METHODS: Eligible trials were identified by searching the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Cochrane Library Issue 2, 2004), MEDLINE (January 1966–June 2004), EMBASE (January 1980–June 2004) and CINAHL (January 1982–June 2004). Additional hand‐searching was conducted on the proceedings of correlated conferences, eight important Chinese journals and references of all included trials. All randomized controlled trials evaluating H₂RAs for the control of NAB were eligible for inclusion. The systematic review was conducted using methods recommended by The Cochrane Collaboration. RESULTS: Only two randomized crossover studies, comprising 32 participants, met the inclusion criteria. Because the design, dosage and duration of the treatments were different between the studies, it was not possible to conduct meta‐analysis. There were no consistent conclusions found between the two included studies in evaluating H₂RAs for the control of NAB. CONCLUSIONS: No implications for practice at this stage can be concluded. Appropriately designed large‐scale randomized controlled trials with long‐term follow up are needed to determine the effects of additional bedtime H₂RAs in suppressing NAB.     

Do children with primary nocturnal enuresis have a retarded bone age? A cross‐sectional study

OBJECTIVE: Nocturnal enuresis is a common pediatric problem, the etiology of which is unclear. In recent years, various studies have been published stating that children with nocturnal enuresis exhibit growth and skeletal maturation retardation. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we included 27 patients (16 boys, 11 girls) between the ages of 6 and 14 years who had presented with primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) complaints. We included in the evaluation 19 healthy subjects (12 boys, 7 girls), who were the siblings of the children with PNE, as the control group. RESULTS: The patients in both groups were similar in chronological age, bone age, height and weight, with no significant difference between groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The two groups in our study consisted of the same genetic background. Thus, our results were found to be different from the previous studies. We have concluded that there is no direct relationship between enuresis nocturnal and skeletal maturation.     

Zolpidem induced nocturnal sleep‐related eating disorder (NSRED) in a male patient

Nocturnal Sleep‐Related Eating Disorder (NSRED) is a well‐documented sleeping disorder where the person is reported to experience bizarre eating behavior during sleep. Although various causes are implicated in this disorder, role of drugs cannot be ruled out. Here we narrate an interesting rare case report of a drug‐induced new onset NSRED, where a 45‐year‐old man on zolipdem performed an unexpected and bizarre eating behavior during somnambulistic state, type of which has not been reported earlier in the literature. The case falls under even rarer category as such behavior in sleep is reported mainly in woman. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2009     

停止尿床年龄与青少年自杀行为的关系

目的探讨停止尿床年龄与青少年自杀行为的关系。方法对1920名11岁～16岁的青少年进行调查,由父母完成包括青少年生长发育史、自杀行为、抑郁症状、攻击行为及家庭环境等定式问卷。结果在控制一系列儿童及家庭情况变量后,多变量Logistic回归模型显示3岁后停止尿床与青少年自杀行为的危险性增加显著相关,停止尿床年龄与青少年自杀行为之间存在量效关系（3岁～4岁停止尿床OR值为2.1,5岁及以上停止尿床OR值为3.6）。中介变量分析显示,停止尿床时间晚对自杀行为的效应,至少部分通过抑郁及攻击行为中介。结论停止尿床时间晚可能是青少年自杀行为的早期神经发育预测因素,应进一步探讨青少年自杀行为的早期神经发育危险因素及潜在机制。     

PNH者患红细胞膜结构损伤及膜脂与膜蛋白关系的探索

本文分析了20例PNH患者红细胞膜总脂,Ch/PIM比及磷脂组分,并比较了10例PNH红细胞膜AChE在PBS系统和生理盐水中的酶活性。发现PNH红细胞膜脂缺失严重,比正常少22％,但Ch/PIM比值及各磷脂相对含量均无明显改变。在PBS中AChE活性接近正常红细胞,但在生理盐水中明显低于正常红细胞,仅为正常的40％。表明PNH红细胞对补体敏感而溶血可能是由于补体导致膜脂缺失,进而破坏了红细胞膜结构的完整性而引起的,这也是AChE活性在低pH环境中酶活性比正常红细胞低的原因。     

Nocturnal hypoglycaemia in Type 1 diabetic patients,assessed with continuous glucose monitoring: frequency,duration and associations

Aims We quantified the occurrence and duration of nocturnal hypoglycaemia in individuals with Type 1 diabetes treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) or multiple‐injection therapy (MIT) using a continuous subcutaneous glucose sensor. Methods A microdialysis sensor was worn at home by 24 patients on CSII (mean HbA_1c 7.8 ± 0.9%) and 33 patients on MIT (HbA_1c 8.7 ± 1.3%) for 48 h. Occurrence and duration of nocturnal hypoglycaemia were assessed and using multivariate regression analysis, the association between HbA_1c, diabetes duration, treatment type (CSII vs. MIT), fasting and bedtime blood glucose values, total daily insulin dose and mean nocturnal glucose concentrations, and hypoglycaemia occurrence and duration was investigated. Results Nocturnal hypoglycaemia ≤ 3.9 mmol/l occurred in 33.3% of both the CSII‐ (8/24) and MIT‐treated patients (11/33). Mean (± sd ; median, interquartile range) duration of hypoglycaemia ≤ 3.9 mmol/l was 78 (± 76; 57, 23–120) min per night for the CSII‐ and 98 (± 80; 81, 32–158) min per night for the MIT‐treated group. Multivariate regression analysis showed that bedtime glucose value had the strongest association with the occurrence (P = 0.026) and duration (P = 0.032) of nocturnal hypoglycaemia. Conclusions Microdialysis continuous glucose monitoring has enabled more precise quantification of nocturnal hypoglycaemia occurrence and duration in Type 1 diabetic patients. Occurrence and duration of nocturnal hypoglycaemia were mainly associated with bedtime glucose value.     

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria: Nature's gene therapy?

The development of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) requires two coincident factors: somatic mutation of the PIG-A gene in one or more haemopoietic stem cells and an abnormal, hypoplastic bone marrow environment. When both of these conditions are met, the fledgling PNH clone may flourish. This review will discuss the pathophysiology of this disease, which has recently been elucidated in some detail.     

‘Nocturnal groaning’: just a sound or parasomnia?

We describe the clinical and polysomnographic characteristics of 12 patients complaining of expiratory groaning during sleep. Groaning occurred almost exclusively during rapid eye movement sleep. We reviewed all the literature cases, obtaining a total sample of 27 patients. There is no evident association with any predisposing factors or underlying disease. The results obtained from empirical treatment, including drugs and CPAP, are unsatisfactory. The origins of nocturnal groaning, as well as the long-term prognosis, remained unexplained.