The rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder in Chinese-Taiwanese patients.

Full Abstract

AIMS: While the features of rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) have been reported in Caucasian patients, the characteristics of Chinese-Taiwanese patients with RBD have never been examined. METHODS: Subjects were retrospectively recruited between April 2005 and February 2008 from the neurological clinic and sleep laboratory in the Department of Neurology of Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital. A total of 70 consecutive subjects fulfilling the criteria for RBD were recruited. RESULTS: The records of standard overnight polysomnography in patients with RBD were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-five (35.7%) of the patients were female; the mean age of diagnosis was 67 years and the mean age of symptom onset was 60 years. Among patients with idiopathic RBD, there were 28 men (61%) and 18 women (39%). Nocturnal wandering in the bedroom was reported in 11 cases and out of the bedroom in seven cases. Nineteen patients (27.1%) had accidental falling from bed and 27 patients (38.6%) had sleep-related injury that resulted in ecchymosis and laceration of the head, face or limbs. CONCLUSIONS: We found that some features in Chinese-Taiwanese patients with RBD were different from Caucasian patients, such as a greater female ratio, lower injury episodes during sleep and more sleep wandering.

Author information

Author/s: Lin, Feng-Cheng (FC); Lai, Chiou-Lian (CL); Huang, Poyin (P); Liu, Ching-Kuan (CK); Hsu, Chung-Yao (CY);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences (Psychiatry Clin Neurosci), published in Australia. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Aug; vol 63 (issue 4) : pp 557-62

Dates: Created 2009/08/07; Completed 2009/10/13;

PMID: 19659561, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/13/2009, IMS Date: )

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