Preliminary Investigation on Sleep Quality in Chinese Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Objective To investigate the sleeping quality and influencing factors in Chinese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS),and to understand the attitude of doctors to sleeping problems in patients with ALS.Methods A total of 396 newly diagnosed ALS patients in Department of Neurology,Peking University Third Hospital from November 1st,2007 to October 31st,2011 were followed up by telephone in order to understand non-drug treatment,subjective evaluation of sleep quality according to PSQI,sleep latency and early awakening.The anxiety and depression scale were investigated by using HADS,with HADS≥8 being in anxiety and depression condition.The attention paid by doctors to the patients was also investigated.Results Among the 396 patients,10 cases(2.5%) used PEG,19 cases(4.8%) used BiPAP.The use rate of ALS patients with different courses of disease showed no statistically significant difference(P 0.05).After onset of ALS,246 cases(62.1%) had worse sleep quality,201 cases(50.8%) were not satisfied with their sleep over the past one month,154 cases(38.9%) had prolonged sleep latency,148 cases(37.3%) had early awakening or easy awakening and 245 cases(61.9%) had HADS≥8.The sleep quality and early or easy awakening in patients with different courses of disease showed statistically significant differences(P 0.05).The dissatisfaction with sleep quality over the past one month,prolonged sleep latency and patients with HADS≥8 in patients with different courses of disease showed no statistically significant difference(P 0.05).27 cases(6.8%) were once asked about sleep quality by doctors,and 19 cases(4.8%) were guided by doctors in using sleeping pills.Conclusion The disorders relevant to sleep are general among Chinese patients with ALS,and it may relate to the high proportion of anxiety and depression and the clinical symptoms of ALS.Currently,doctors are not paying enough attention to the situation.