Sleep
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Commonly used definitions of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) are based on identifying discrete events of breathing abnormalities during sleep that are accompanied by an oxyhemoglobin desaturation (delta SaO2) of at least 4%. However, it is not known whether disordered breathing events with oxyhemoglobin desaturation less than 4% are associated with clinical sequelae such as abnormalities in fasting glycemia. ⋯ The results of this study indicate that SDB events accompanied by oxyhemoglobin desaturation of between 2% to 4% are associated with fasting hyperglycemia. These findings suggest that milder degrees of SDB may predispose to adverse metabolic outcomes.
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Understanding the genetic transmission of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) will help clinicians identify patients at risk and offer opportunities for intervention and treatment at specialist clinics. ⋯ Our results indicate that physicians should consider family history of OSAS when deciding whether to refer a patient for further sleep examinations.
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Comparative Study
A comparison of insomnia and depression as predictors of disability pension: the HUNT Study.
Depression and insomnia are common and frequently comorbid. Unlike the priority now accorded to depression, insomnia is comparatively ignored as a reason for impaired occupational functioning. The objective of this study was to compare their relative impact upon medically certified disability pension award. ⋯ Depression is regarded as a major contributor to work disability and is increasingly the primary diagnosis in disability pension award. Our results suggest that although rarely reported in official registries of disability pension causes, insomnia has an equally important and independent role, particularly among the younger group. This suggests that this potentially treatable factor has considerable economic impact and should receive more attention in clinical and public health management.
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Individual sleep timing differs and is governed partly by circadian oscillators, which may be assessed by hormonal markers, or by clock gene expression. Clock gene expression oscillates in peripheral tissues, including leukocytes. The study objective was to determine whether the endogenous phase of these rhythms, assessed in the absence of the sleep-wake and light-dark cycle, correlates with habitual sleep-wake timing. ⋯ Individual phase differences in PER3 expression during a constant routine correlate with sleep timing during entrainment. PER3 expression in leukocytes represents a useful molecular marker of the circadian processes governing sleep-wake timing.
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To examine psychomotor (reaction time) performance deficits and their relation to subjective and objective sleep measures among individuals with primary insomnia (PI). ⋯ Results confirm that PI sufferers do show relative psychomotor performance deficits when responding to challenging reaction time tasks, and these deficits appear related to both objective and subjective sleep deficits. Findings support PI patients' diurnal complaints and suggest the usefulness of complex reaction time tasks for assessing them.