Polysomnographic correlates of sleep disturbances in de novo, drug naïve Parkinson's Disease

Neurol Sci. 2022 Apr;43(4):2531-2536. doi: 10.1007/s10072-021-05622-3. Epub 2021 Sep 29.

Abstract

Background: Sleep disturbances are common non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's Disease (PD).

Methods: The aim of this study was to investigate the polysomnographic correlates of sleep changes, as investigated by the Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale-2 (PDSS-2), in a cohort of sixty-two consecutive de novo, drug naïve PD patients (71.40 ± 7.84 y/o).

Results: PDSS-2 total score showed a direct correlation with stage shifts (p = 0.008). Fragmented sleep showed an inverse correlation with sleep efficiency (p = 0.012). Insomnia symptoms showed an inverse correlation with wake after sleep onset (p = 0.005) and direct correlation with periodic leg movements (p = 0.006) and stage shift indices (p = 0.003). Motor Symptoms showed a direct correlation with Apnoea-Hypopnoea (AHI; p = 0.02) and awakenings indices (p = 0.003). Dream distressing showed a direct correlation with REM without atonia (RWA, p = 0.042) and an inverse correlation with AHI (p = 0.012). Sleep quality showed an inverse correlation with RWA (p = 0.008).

Conclusion: PDSS-2 features are significantly correlated with polysomnography objective findings, thus further supporting its reliability to investigate sleep disturbances in PD patients.

Keywords: Parkinson’s Disease; Sleep disturbances; Polysomnography; Sleep disorders.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Parkinson Disease* / complications
  • Polysomnography
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sleep
  • Sleep Wake Disorders* / diagnosis
  • Sleep Wake Disorders* / etiology