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Eye-Tracking Control to Assess Cognitive Functions in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Published on: October 13, 2016
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Sleep disorders in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A questionnaire-based study from India
Samhita Panda1, Mandaville Gourie-Devi2, Ankkita Sharma2
1Department of Neurophysiology; Department of Sleep Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India.
Neurology India
|May 17, 2018
Summary
Sleep disturbances are common in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), affecting two-thirds of patients. Excessive daytime somnolence is a key predictor of these sleep issues in ALS patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease impacting motor neurons.
- Sleep disturbances are frequently underreported and undertreated in ALS patients.
- Limited data exists on sleep disorders in ALS patients within India.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of sleep disorders in Indian ALS patients.
- To identify factors associated with sleep disturbances in ALS.
Main Methods:
- Recruited patients with definite/probable ALS (El Escorial criteria) from May 2014 to April 2016.
- Assessed functional impairment, sleep abnormalities, anxiety, and depression using standardized questionnaires.
- Utilized the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality assessment.
Main Results:
- 70% of ALS patients experienced sleep disorders, with insomnia (65%) and sleep-disordered breathing/hypoventilation (52.5%) being most prevalent.
- Poor sleep quality was reported by half of the patients, significantly worse than controls.
- Excessive daytime somnolence independently predicted sleep disorders (OR 1.435, P=0.043).
Conclusions:
- This is the first study from India to investigate sleep disorders in ALS.
- A significant majority of ALS patients suffer from sleep disturbances and poor sleep quality.
- Excessive daytime somnolence is a crucial indicator for sleep disorders in ALS.
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