PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Jean Krieger

Publications and source records attributed to Jean Krieger.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Diagnostic indicators of restless legs syndrome in primary care consultations: the DESYR study.

The objective of this study is to determine whether spontaneous complaints about sleep or the legs could be used as potential indicators of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in primary care. A total of 351 general practitioners participated in the study. In a first historical patient identification phase, all patients with spontaneous complaints of sleep or leg symptoms over the previous year were identified. A control group without such complaints was identified. In a second prospective data collection phase, those who consulted a participating physician were interviewed to assess consensus diagnostic criteria of RLS. Severity was assessed with the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group severity rating scale. Of 1,405,823 patients consulting during the historical phase, a leg complaint was reported in 61,685 and a sleep complaint in 40,568. A total of 1,432 consulted during the prospective phase. A diagnosis of RLS was assigned to 42.6% of patients with leg complaints, 35.5% of those with sleep complaints, 54.9% of those with both complaints, and 12.9% of those with no complaints. Median RLS severity scores were 18.8 to 20.4. A total of 63.7% of patients were prescribed a venotonic, 43.7% a hypnotic, and 41.5% an anxiolytic. Complaints of sleep or leg symptoms are frequently associated with a diagnosis of RLS, and their presence should alert the physician to the possibility of a differential diagnosis of RLS.

Adult↗

Outcome of restless legs severity after continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) treatment in patients affected by the association of RLS and obstructive sleep apneas.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The association of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and restless legs syndrome (RLS) has been reported in the literature for many years. Nevertheless, this pathological association has not yet been extensively studied and many questions remain unanswered. The primary concern of this study is to evaluate the influence of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (n-CPAP) therapy on daytime sleepiness and fatigue as well as the presence of a possible long-term beneficial effect on RLS severity and, secondarily, to ascertain the clinical, neurophysiological and polysomnographic characteristics of a group of patients with both OSAS and RLS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients had a diagnostic polysomnography (PSG) and a second polysomnography for titration of n-CPAP. Laboratory tests (blood glucose, serum ferritin), body mass index (BMI) calculation and a neurophysiological evaluation (auditory P300 and electroneuromyography) were done. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the Pichot's questionnaire of fatigue/depression (PIC) were applied to all patients before and after three months of n-CPAP treatment. The International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group rating scale (IRLS) was applied before and after n-CPAP. Results were compared. RESULTS: The ESS scores decreased from 10.64+/-4.83 at baseline to 7.41+/-3.5 (P<0.05). PIC scores decreased from 16.65+/-7.27 to 10.12+/-6.40 (P<0.01). IRLS scores decreased from 17.60+/-7.11 before to 12.52+/-9.25 after n-CPAP (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that not only fatigue and sleepiness but also the severity of RLS show a favorable response to n-CPAP in the group of patients with OSAS and RLS.

Adult↗

Periodic limb movements and sleepiness in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the possibility that periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) could play an additive role in the sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) before treatment, or could account for residual sleepiness in successfully CPAP-treated patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In order to test this hypothesis, we compared objective sleepiness, assessed by the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) and subjective sleep propensity, assessed by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), in a clinical series of 57 patients consecutively diagnosed with OSAS (apnea/hypopnea index, 53.3+/-26.15), before and after 1 year of treatment with CPAP. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients (38.5%) had significant PLMS (at least 5 PLMS/h of sleep; mean 52.9+/-53.9) in absence of apneas (with CPAP). The two groups (with and without PLMS) were similar in gender distribution, BMI, apnea/hypopnea index or CPAP level. Patients with PLMS were older than those without PLMS. Sleepiness measurements following OSAS diagnosis and after 1 year of CPAP treatment were similar in patients PLMS compared to those without significant PLMS. There was no correlation in the PLMS patient group between the PLM index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale score and mean latency in the MSLT. CONCLUSION: In this study we did not find a link between PLMS and increased objective or self-evaluated sleepiness in OSAS patients, before or after treatment with CPAP.

Body Mass Index↗

Effect of CPAP treatment on inspiratory arousal threshold during NREM sleep in OSAS.

The maximal inspiratory effort recorded at the end of apnea has been considered as an index of arousal threshold in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Previous investigations have shown that the arousal threshold is higher in patients with OSAS than in normal subjects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on the inspiratory-effort-related arousal threshold in patients with OSAS. In ten male patients, 40 episodes of apnea during stage 2 non-REM (NREM) sleep were analyzed. Apnea duration (t), esophageal pressure (Pes) at the first occluded breath (Pes1), the minimum of the three initial Pes swings (Pes min), the maximum of the three final Pes swings (Pes Max), DeltaPes (Pes Max-Pes min), RPes (rate of increase of intrathoracic pressure, DeltaPes/t), n (number of occluded breaths during apnea), DeltaPes/n, n/t, and SaO(2) were determined before and after occlusion. These apneic episodes were compared to ten episodes of apnea provoked by a mask occlusion device after 1, 7, 30, and 90 days of CPAP treatment. The therapy resulted in a decrease in the inspiratory-effort-related arousal threshold, as measured by a reduction of Pes Max, without significant changes in apnea duration and apnea-related hypoxemia. Pes1 and DeltaPes/n, which are markers of respiratory drive, significantly decreased between observations. CPAP treatment decreases the inspiratory-effort-related arousal threshold and induces a decrease in ventilatory drive in response to upper airway occlusion.

Arousal↗

What is the clinical significance of periodic limb movements during sleep?

UNLABELLED: To understand better the clinical impact of periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) we analysed data from 51 patients who, following an adaptation night, presented a PLMS index > 5 during two consecutive nocturnal polysomnographic recordings. In the morning following each recording patients completed a questionnaire including five visual analogic scales (VAS): (1) I did not sleep well/I slept very well. (2) I feel very sleepy/I do not feel sleepy at all. (3) I feel very tired/I feel very dynamic. (4) Physically, I do not feel fit/physically, I feel fit. (5) Psychologically, I do not feel fit/psychologically, I feel fit. We compared the responses to these questions with the PLMS index, first inter-individually, then intra-individually between nights. RESULTS: The inter-individual analysis did not show correlations between the PLMS index and the questions (1) and (2). We found a significant correlation between the PLMS index and the questions (3) (r = -0.29; P < 0.05), (4) (r = -0.30; P < 0.05) and (5) (r = -0.39; P < 0.01). For the intra-individual analysis, we did not find correlations between the PLMS index and questions (1)-(3), but found a significant correlation with questions (4) (r = -0.28; P < 0.05) and (5) (r = -0.36; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: PLMS per se, or the sleep changes induced by them, seem to be associated with decreased physical and psychological fitness on awakening.

Adult↗

Acute low single dose of apomorphine reduces periodic limb movements but has no significant effect on sleep arousals: a preliminary report.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of apomorphine on the frequency of periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) and on sleep architecture. DESIGN: Nine patients presenting PLMS (including eight patients with restless legs syndrome) underwent three consecutive night sleep recordings. They received a single dose of 0.5 mg subcutaneous apomorphine at bedtime the third night. RESULTS: When computing PLMS during four 2-h periods of sleep, a significant period by apomorphine-effect was demonstrated, with a marked reduction of PLMS during the first 4 h post-injection (P < 0.01). No significant differences were found in sleep macroarchitecture between the three recorded nights, excepted a slight reduction in sleep latency during the third night (P < 0.05). Despite the decreased number of PLMS after apomorphine injection, there were significant changes neither in the total number of arousals nor in the index of arousals per hour of sleep. CONCLUSION: Our results add further support to the dopaminergic hypothesis in the generation of PLMS. The persistence of arousals suggests that they are not simply the consequence of PLMS but a primary phenomenon, not related with the dopaminergic system.

Apomorphine↗

Iron, brain and restless legs syndrome.

Iron is the most important transitional metal in the body, as it is implicated in many metabolic processes, mostly related to its capacity as an electron donor/acceptor. Iron deficiency has been long been known to cause anaemia, iron excess to cause haemochromatosis. As excess free iron can cause oxidative damage, it is important that the levels of iron in the body are tightly regulated which appears to be done only by digestive absorption, as there is no known regulating mechanism for elimination of iron. The amount of free iron is also kept to a minimum thanks to binding to transferrin for transport, and to ferritin for storage. Recent research has put emphasis on the possible role of excess iron in the brain in several degenerative diseases. Iron deficiency in the central nervous system is known to cause motor impairment and cognitive deficits; more recently, it has been suggested that it may play a role in the pathophysiology of the restless leg syndrome. 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd

Journal Article↗