The Risk of Major Bleeding With Apixaban Administration in Patients With Acute Kidney Injury.

BACKGROUND: Apixaban is eliminated by the kidneys and in acute kidney injury (AKI) there is potential for an increase in apixaban exposure and bleeding events. In one instance, data have shown higher than normal bleed risk in patients with AKI, unless calibrated anti-factor Xa monitoring is used, which is not widely available. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate bleeding with apixaban administration to hospitalized patients with an AKI in an unmonitored real-world scenario. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients admitted to a large urban academic teaching hospital from April 2015 to March 2022, who received apixaban for venous thromboembolism or nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). The primary outcome evaluated major bleeding when apixaban was administered to patients with or without an AKI. RESULTS: A total of 232 patients were evaluated (116 per group). Most patients (79.7%) were on apixaban for NVAF, 32.7% had chronic kidney disease, 58.2% were on a medication increasing bleed risk, and HAS-BLED score was a median of 2 in both groups. No differences were noted between groups for bleeding (AKI group 7.8% vs non-AKI 3.4%; P = 0.15), and on regression analysis, coadministration of a P2Y12 inhibitor was predictive of major bleeding (odds ratio = 5.9; 95% confidence interval = 1.4-23.6). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Although no differences between groups were noted, apixaban use in the AKI group resulted in a higher than normally reported incidence of apixaban-associated major bleeding, and concomitant antiplatelet use increased bleed risk as well. Cautious use of apixaban and further investigation with larger studies are warranted in this area.

The Brugmann Fatigue Scale: An Analogue to the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to Measure Behavioral Rest Propensity.

Background: While often confused, fatigue (as opposed to sleepiness) mostly requires rest, not sleep, to recover from. Clinical evaluations of fatigue mainly rely on assessments of symptom intensity, however without taking into account the need to engage in behavioral countermeasures. We therefore developed an 8-item 4-point Likert scale (the Brugmann Fatigue Scale; BFS) sharing a similar conceptual background with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), assessing mental and physical fatigue and focusing specifically on rest propensity. Methods: Out of 496 consecutive patients addressed to the sleep unit of an academic hospital, we selected a sample of 295 hypnotic-free subjects (122 females). The present study examines (a) the psychometric properties of the BFS and (b) measurement invariance regarding perceived sleep quality, in parallel with common sleepiness and fatigue scales (ESS and Fatigue Severity Scale; FSS). In addition, (c) correlations of the BFS with clinical scales and polysomnographic variables were explored descriptively. Results: Rasch analyses revealed that the BFS possesses sound psychometric characteristics (rating scale functioning, item fit, dimensionality and measurement invariance) allowing for valid, reliable, linear and unidimensional measurement of mental and physical rest propensity, irrespective of perceived sleep quality, age, or gender. In addition, the BFS was significantly correlated to periodic limb movements during sleep and inversely to REM sleep duration. For both mental and physical subscales, scores above 6 are proposed as cutoff values. Conclusion: In analogy to the ESS, the BFS shows to be a unique and precise instrument assessing symptomatic fatigue with respect to rest propensity.

An Underappreciated and Prolonged Drug Interaction Leads to Ineffective Anticoagulation.

A poorly understood significant drug-drug interaction compounded by ineffective communication among providers at times of care transition most likely contributed to multiple thromboembolic events in an 81-year-old patient. Increased awareness of drug interactions with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), as well as improved communication among inpatient and outpatient providers at the time of discharge is essential in maximizing efficacy and safety outcomes in patients requiring chronic anticoagulation. When rifampin is coadministered with apixaban, a reduction in apixaban exposure results in decreased efficacy and increased risk for thromboembolic events. The delayed effect of rifampin deinduction should be considered with regard to potential drug interactions even after its discontinuation. Equally as important, patients with multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy are at significant risk from adverse drug events during the transition from hospital to home. All efforts to improve continuity of care at times of transition, including medication reconciliation, prompt delivery of discharge summaries to outpatient providers, effective communication among providers, and patient education are components of a best practices model that has the potential to lower costs, improve medication adherence, decrease adverse drug events, and reduce hospital readmissions.

Effect of sleep bruxism duration on perceived sleep quality in middle-aged subjects.

Sleep-related bruxism may directly impact sleep quality. This study aims to evaluate potential relationships between sleep bruxism events and related daytime symptoms. We investigated 22 patients (42.1 ± 11.6 yr of age) with sleep bruxism in comparison with 12 good sleeper control subjects of similar age (41.0 ± 11.5 yr). Sleep bruxism was visually analyzed and categorized according to sleep stage, bruxism type (tonic/phasic) and duration. Clinical instruments comprised the Epworth Sleepiness, the Brugmann Fatigue Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Rating Scale. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Controls and patients with sleep bruxism presented similar sleep architecture. However, patients with sleep bruxism displayed significantly decreased sleep efficiency and higher sleep fragmentation. Perceived sleep quality was significantly worse in patients with sleep bruxism than in control subjects. Additionally, patients presented with significantly greater fatigue intensity and more affective symptoms than controls. The cumulative durations of sleep bruxism events (phasic, tonic, and combined) were significantly correlated with deterioration of sleep quality, whereas neither the event index per hour of sleep nor the count of event types (phasic/tonic) were related to sleep quality. Patients with sleep bruxism present with higher levels of daytime fatigue and sleepiness than control subjects who experience good sleep and may also exhibit impairments of sleep quality which are related to the duration of bruxism occurrence rather than to its frequency.

Can positional therapy be simple, effective and well tolerated all together? A prospective study on treatment response and compliance in positional sleep apnea with a positioning pillow.

PURPOSE: Until now, there is no clear consensus on optimal care for mild sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) in general or for positional obstructive sleep apnea (POSA) in particular. Most proposed treatment options are either invasive and/or expensive. Positional therapy (PT) may therefore present as a valuable first-line intervention in POSA. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients presenting with POSA were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. The protocol consisted of three nights of polysomnography (PSG) in an academic sleep lab. Inclusion was based on the first PSG. During a consecutive PSG, PT was provided by means of a sleep-positioning pillow (Posiform®). The third PSG was performed after 1 month of PT. Sleepiness, fatigue, and sleep quality were assessed with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the fatigue severity scale (FSS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Function Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ) at baseline, and after 1 and at 6 months of PT alongside satisfaction and compliance ratings. RESULTS: Significant immediate treatment effects after one night and sustained after 1 month were observed by significant reductions of sleep in supine position (p < .001), sleep fragmentation (p < .05), apnea-hypopnea (p < .001), respiratory disturbance (p < .001), and oxygen desaturation (p < .001) indices. PSQI (p < .001), ESS (p < .005), and FOSQ (p < .001) also showed significant and persistent improvements. CONCLUSIONS: Combined effects on sleep-related respiration and clinical symptoms were observed after PT initiation as well as after 1 month using the sleep-positioning pillow. Furthermore, reported compliance and overall satisfaction appeared to be highly concordant both at 1 month and 6 months follow-up.

While Isolated Periodic Limb Movement Disorder Significantly Impacts Sleep Depth and Efficiency, Co-Morbid Restless Leg Syndrome Mainly Exacerbates Perceived Sleep Quality.

BACKGROUND: Restless leg syndrome (RLS) and periodic limb movement (PLM) disorder (PLMD) can affect sleep quality and interfere with daytime functioning. Whether the co-morbidity of RLS further worsens daytime symptoms, sleep architecture and quality in patients with PLMs, is not yet fully clarified. METHODS: Sleep (polysomnography) and daytime symptoms of 47 drug-free patients, assigned to isolated PLMD or co-morbid RLS subgroups, were compared to controls in a retrospective cohort-study (n = 501). Associations between perceived sleep quality, fatigue, sleepiness, mood and sleep variables were explored descriptively. RESULTS: Although co-morbid patients showed worsened sleep quality, both patient groups showed similar sleepiness and affective symptoms. While significantly differing from controls, patients presented similarly increased light sleep, decreased slow-wave sleep and lowered sleep efficiency. Altered sleep quality, fatigue and sleepiness were significantly correlated to decreased slow-wave sleep and sleep fragmentation. Affective symptoms, fatigue and perceived sleep quality also correlated to PLM index. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep structure and efficiency were similarly impacted in isolated PLMD and in co-morbid RLS. RLS mainly worsened perceived sleep quality. Given that systematic treatment for isolated PLMD is currently not recommended, such results may question whether no or different-from-RLS treatment strategies are compatible with optimal care.

Dimensions of pure chronic fatigue: psychophysical, cognitive and biological correlates in the chronic fatigue syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate associated dimensions of fatigue regarding cognitive impairment, psychomotor performances, muscular effort power and circulating cytokine levels and their relations to symptom intensity in a sample of pure chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients without overlapping objective sleepiness or sleep disorders. METHODS: 16 CFS patients were compared to 14 matched controls. We assessed structured symptom-scales, polysomnography, multiple sleep latency tests, attention (Zazzo-Cancellation ZCT, digit-symbol-substitution DSST), psychomotor vigilance and speed (PVT, finger tapping test, FTT), dynamometer handgrip force (tonic and phasic trials) and circulating cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1b, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α). RESULTS: In addition to fatigue, CFS patients presented with higher affective symptom intensity and worse perceived sleep quality. Polysomnography showed more slow-wave sleep and microarousals in CFS but similar sleep time, efficiency and light-sleep durations than controls. Patients presented with impaired attention (DSST, ZCT), slower reaction times (PVT) but not with lower hit rates (FTT). Notwithstanding lower grip strength during tonic and phasic trials, CFS also presented with higher fatigability during phasic trials. Cytokine levels were increased for IL-1b, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α and fatigue intensity was correlated to grip strength and IL-8. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to sleepiness, chronic fatigue is a more complex phenomenon that cannot be reduced to one single measured dimension (i.e., sleep propensity). Showing its relations to different measurements, our study reflects this multidimensionality, in a psychosomatic disorder such as CFS. To obtain objective information, routine assessments of fatigue should rule out sleepiness, combine aspects of mental and physical fatigue and focus on fatigability.

Rapid eye movement sleep does not seem to unbind memories from their emotional context.

Sleep unbinds memories from their emotional learning context, protecting them from emotional interference due to a change of mood between learning and recall. According to the 'sleep to forget and sleep to remember' model, emotional unbinding takes place during rapid eye movement sleep. To test this hypothesis, we investigated emotional contextual interference effects after early versus late post-learning sleep periods, in which slow wave and rapid eye movement sleep, respectively, predominate. Participants learned a list of neutral word pairs after induction of a happy or a sad mood, then slept immediately afterwards for 3 h of early or late sleep under polysomnographic recording, in a within-subject counterbalanced design. They slept for 3 h before learning in the late sleep condition. Polysomnographic data confirmed more rapid eye movement sleep in the late than in the early sleep condition. After awakening, half the list was recalled after induction of a similar mood than during the encoding session (non-interference condition), and the other half of the list was recalled after induction of a different mood (interference condition). The results disclosed an emotional interference effect on recall both in the early and late sleep conditions, which does not corroborate the hypothesis of a rapid eye movement sleep-related protection of recent memories from emotional contextual interference. Alternatively, the contextual demodulation process initiated during the first post-learning night might need several consecutive nights of sleep to be achieved.

Prevalence of Insomnia and Sleep Habits during the First and Second Wave of COVID-19 in Belgium.

Belgium has one of the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases per 1 million inhabitants. The pandemic has led to significant societal changes with repercussions on sleep and on mental health. We aimed to investigate the effect of the first and the second wave of COVID-19 on the sleep of the Belgian populationWe launched two online questionnaires, one during the first lockdown (7240 respondents) and one during the second (3240 respondents), to test differences in self-reported clinical insomnia (as measured by the Insomnia Severity Index) and sleep habits during the two lockdowns in comparison with the pre-COVID period. The number of persons with clinical insomnia rose during the first lockdown (19.22%) and further during the second (28.91%) in comparison with pre-lockdown (7.04-7.66%). Bed and rise times were delayed and there was an increased time in bed and sleep onset latency. There was further a decrease in total sleep time and in sleep efficiency during both confinements. The prevalence of clinical insomnia quadrupled during the second wave in comparison with the pre-lockdown situation. Sleep habits were most altered in the younger population, indicating a greater risk for this group to develop a sleep-wake rhythm disorder.

Alogliptin and Heart Failure Outcomes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

Background: In 2016, the FDA issued a warning for saxagliptin and alogliptin regarding an increased risk of heart failure (HF), potentially limiting the use of effective medications in type 2 diabetes. Current data and guideline recommendations regarding HF risk are conflicting, especially with alogliptin. In March 2019, the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center made a formulary change from saxagliptin to alogliptin, creating an opportunity to evaluate a large number of patients receiving alogliptin. Objective: To evaluate the risk of HF with alogliptin use in type 2 diabetes patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients prescribed alogliptin was performed. The primary outcome was the composite number of HF hospital admissions and ED visits. Secondary outcomes included exacerbation rates among established HF patients, incidence of new-onset HF, incidence of alogliptin discontinuation due to HF, comparison of HF exacerbations between saxagliptin and alogliptin in patients with prior saxagliptin use, and evaluation of concomitant cardiotoxic medications. Results: 455 patients were included. A composite of 28 hospital admissions and ED visits occurred for a HF exacerbation. Fourteen patients (26.4%) of 53 patients with established HF had an exacerbation, whereas 5 patients (1.2%) of 402 patients with no history of HF had an exacerbation. Eight patients (2%) developed new-onset HF. Alogliptin was discontinued in 4 patients (0.9%) due to HF. No statistically significant difference in HF exacerbations was found between patients on alogliptin who previously received saxagliptin (4.8% vs 4.2%, P = 0.726). Conclusions: Alogliptin may increase the risk of HF exacerbation in patients with established HF.

Impact of Beta-Lactam Allergies on Selection of Antimicrobials in an Inpatient Setting Among Veteran Population.

PURPOSE: Beta-lactam antibiotics are among the most common and widely used antibiotics. However, reported allergy to this class of antibiotics is also common, leading to the use of alternative broad-spectrum antibiotics by healthcare providers. This has led to the emergence of various negative health outcomes. The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of using alternative antibiotics secondary to a beta-lactam allergy among U.S. veterans who have otherwise multiple comorbidities. METHODS: This retrospective observational analysis was conducted over a 5-year period (January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2016) at the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Admitted patients with a documented beta-lactam allergy were categorized to preferred or non-preferred status based on initial antibiotic therapy antibiotic, allergy history, published guidelines, and local antibiogram. Preferred therapy was defined as the optimal antibiotic treatment for a given indication based on patient allergy history, published Infectious Disease Society of America guidelines, and local antibiogram of Memphis VAMC. The therapy was classified as "non-preferred" if it did not satisfy the preferred therapy criteria. Non-preferred treatments were further assessed for appropriateness based on indication and patient-specific factors. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were conducted to find a difference in rates of negative sequelae among patients receiving preferred vs. non-preferred treatments and appropriate vs. inappropriate treatments. FINDINGS: Of the 1806 admissions identified, data were collected on 95 unique patients with 147 different antibiotic regimens. There were 68 (52%) preferred treatment regimens and 64 (48%) non-preferred treatment regimens. Of the 64 non-preferred treatments, 43 (67%) were inappropriate. There was a statistically significant decrease in the number of adverse drug events and in the combined negative sequelae outcome among patients receiving preferred therapy vs. non-preferred therapy (2 vs. 12; P < .01 and 11 vs. 23; P < .01, respectively). IMPLICATIONS: The receipt of non-preferred antibiotic therapy among veterans with a recorded beta-lactam allergy may be associated with an increased risk of developing negative outcomes. Among military personnel, removing unnecessary beta-lactam allergies would improve readiness with optimal antibiotic choices and avoidance of unnecessary risks, expediting return to full duty.

Cognitive impairment in fatigue and sleepiness associated conditions.

Although relating to very different concepts, sleepiness and fatigue are often confounded. However, both fatigue-associated conditions such as the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and sleepiness-associated conditions such as the sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) are associated with cognitive impairment with impaired attention, concentration and memory performances. Fifteen pure CFS patients, without primary sleep disorders or clinically relevant sleepiness, were compared to 15 untreated SAHS patients, without clinically relevant fatigue, and to 16 healthy controls of similar age. The auditory verbal learning test (AVLT), digit span, digit symbol and finger tapping test (FTT) were used as cognitive and behavioural measures. In addition we assessed daytime EEG spectral power and P300 evoked potentials. With exception for the digit span, all tests showed lower performances in patient groups. Recall on the AVLT did not differ between the two patient groups, but the digit and symbol spans showed more severe impairment in SAHS patients. Psychomotor performance on the FTT presented with slower hit rates in SAHS than in CFS. EEG theta power was highest in CFS patients. P300 latencies and amplitudes did not differ between groups. Fatigue- and sleepiness-associated conditions can both present with significant and objective impairment of cognitive functioning and behavioural motor performance. In our sample cognitive impairment and psychomotor performance were worse when associated to sleepiness in SAHS than with fatigue in CFS.

Reversible Verbal Memory Integration Deficits in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.

When presented with novel but semantically related elements after learning verbal material, healthy participants tend to endorse these items as previously learned. This reflects the normal integration and association of novel verbal information into long-term memory. How obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) negatively impacts verbal memory performance, and whether deficits are reversible following positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment, remain elusive. We investigated immediate and delayed OSA- and PAP treatment-related effects on verbal memory integration, using a false memory paradigm. Twenty-three patients with OSA learned lists of words semantically related to target non-presented words (1) at baseline after a polysomnography diagnosis night, (2) after a consecutive polysomnography night under PAP titration, and (3) after three months of compliant PAP treatment. At each session, participants learned 10 different lists of words, each list comprising 15 semantically related items. They had then to recognize 15 minutes later (after an intermediate vigilance task) previously learned words within a list including studied words (learned), unstudied but semantically related items (lures), and non-related unstudied items (controls). Sleep quality and fatigue questionnaires, and psychomotor vigilance tests (PVT) were administered at each session. PAP treatment led to OSA remission and improvement in objective and subjective sleep quality. Crucially, recognition of learned and lure words increased after the first night under treatment and remained stable three months later, suggesting successful memory integration and restoration of semantic processes. No treatment-related outcome was found on PVT performance. OSA exerts a detrimental but PAP-reversible effect on verbal learning and semantic memory integration mechanisms underlying the acquisition of novel memory representations.

Do 'sleepy' and 'tired' go together? Rasch analysis of the relationships between sleepiness, fatigue and nonrestorative sleep complaints in a nonclinical population sample.

OBJECTIVE: The lack of distinction in the clinical use of terms like fatigue and sleepiness is an important issue. While both fatigue and sleepiness can potentially be associated with nonrestorative sleep (NRS) complaints, their relationships are still poorly described. We propose to use Rasch analysis-based methods to study the interrelations of fatigue, sleepiness and NRS. METHODS: 150 subjects (mean age = 39.3 years, range = 18-65) from a community sample underwent a structured computer-assisted web interview. We assessed demographic data, sleep habits, and subjective fatigue with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), global and situational sleepiness with the Epworth Sleepiness (ESS) and the Stanford Sleepiness Scales, respectively, and affective symptoms with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Dimensionality, measurement invariance and common person equating were investigated to study the FSS, ESS and their relations to NRS. RESULTS: NRS was linked to shorter habitual sleep duration and to higher scores on psychometric scales. Both sleepiness and daytime fatigue were positively correlated to each other and to the intensity of affective symptoms. Rasch analyses showed both the ESS and FSS to measure unidimensional concepts of sleepiness and fatigue, respectively. In contrast to the FSS, the ESS only showed partial invariance to an NRS complaint. Common person equating suggests that, despite similar Rasch-derived agreeability scores, fatigue and sleepiness (as measured by the FSS and ESS) nevertheless designate distinct constructs. CONCLUSION: NRS complaints can simultaneously present with higher daytime fatigue and sleepiness levels but the associative relationships between fatigue and sleepiness remain relatively unaffected by NRS. Although participants might not present adequate differentiation, fatigue and sleepiness seem to relate to different underlying concepts.

Clinical complaints of daytime sleepiness and fatigue: how to distinguish and treat them, especially when they become 'excessive' or 'chronic'?

Chronic daytime fatigue and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) are potentially invalidating and also common complaints in primary care and general neurological practice. The lack of distinction in the clinical use of terms like fatigue and sleepiness is an important issue. Although these semiological concepts present fundamental differences from physiological and pathological points of view, general medical literature still often confuses both symptoms. The objective of the present review is to contribute to the clinical distinction between fatigue and sleepiness and describe available measurement tools and respective treatment options. We found that sleepiness and fatigue both present with semiological multidimensionality and clinical complexity. Although relating to different underlying concepts, they can show overlapping features and several clinical conditions can present with both complaints simultaneously. Existing specific assessment tools are sometimes underutilised, causing EDS and fatigue to continue to be confounded. The blurring contributions of several studies are mainly due to the fact that typically only one of these two clinical dimensions is investigated. Despite consensus on objective sleepiness measures, simple and validated objective fatigue assessments are generally lacking and seem elusive. Causal and symptomatic treatment options exist predominantly for sleepiness-associated conditions. Although comprehension of sleepiness and its underlying physiology has seemed to improve over time, descriptions of common pathways of fatigue remain relatively incomplete. Clinical research and practice should systematically investigate both conditions with adequate measurement tools. Behavioural medicine is certainly underestimated, especially in the management of chronic daytime fatigue.

Sex-Related Differences in Sleep-Related PSG Parameters and Daytime Complaints in a Clinical Population.

BACKGROUND: Recent research suggested that perception of sleep impairments might present sex-related effects (ie, women appear to be more prone to report fatigue rather than sleepiness). The latter has been evidenced in sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD). Differently, it has been suggested that sleep-related movement disorders may also be associated to fatigue rather than to sleepiness. Whether sex-related differences would be similar irrespective of diagnosis remains unclear. METHODS: During a one-year period, systematic clinical evaluation, by means of structured symptom scales, was performed for a cohort of 921 consecutive patients attending an academic sleep center for polysomnography. The Brugmann Fatigue Scale (BFS), an instrument designed for the assessment of rest propensity was used among other scales (ie, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, ESS). According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 420 men and 376 women were finally included in the study and retained for data analysis. RESULTS: While men and women presented with similar age, BMI, total sleep time and sleep efficiency, men presented with higher levels of respiratory events and more periodic limb movements. Irrespective of diagnosis, women presented with significantly higher levels of sleep-associated complaints on all scales. Comparative stratifications of daytime symptoms, per diagnostic groups (SRBD, Movement Disorders (SRMD) and Insomnia), revealed significant main effects for diagnosis alongside with main effects of biological sex. Associations between common markers of disease severity for SRBD or SRMD and sleep or rest propensity, respectively, only showed significant correlation between periodic limb movements and rest propensity. The strength of association was similarly significant for both sexes. CONCLUSION: While men displayed more objective impairment on polysomnography (PSG) and lower symptom levels, the opposite was true in women. However, both men and women present with statistically significant associations between SRMD severity (PLMS index) and physical fatigue.

First Successful Mechanical Splint for Obstructive Sleep Apnea With an Orally Administrable Pharyngeal Stenting Device.

We report the case of obstructive sleep apnea in a 19-year-old, otherwise healthy male presenting with persistent daytime sleepiness and nonrestorative sleep after velo- and uvuloplasty. An individually tailored prototype of an orally inserted pharyngeal stenting device was proposed in the framework of a first clinical feasibility trial. The noninvasive, easily self-administered device is mounted on a simple inferior dental guard. Baseline total apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 15.5 and 24.4 per hour of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. With the device, total AHI dropped to 6.7 per hour (56.8% reduction) and 1.4 per hour of REM (94.3% reduction). Recorded sleep efficiency during treatment was excellent at 96.5%. Laryngoscope, 129:1945-1948, 2019.

Recruitment dynamics of cognitive control in insomnia.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Individuals with insomnia disorder (ID) commonly report complaints of cognitive control functioning. Conversely, both behavioral and neurological evidence supporting subjective cognitive control impairments in insomnia remain remarkably scarce and inconclusive. To investigate this discrepancy, the present study used next to behavioral measures, event-related potentials (ERPs) to assess proactive control and reactive control in insomnia. METHODS: Individuals with insomnia disorder (n = 18) and good sleeper controls (GSC; n = 15) completed the AX-continuous performance task, while electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded. This task required participants to maintain specific cue-information active to prepare an adequate response to a subsequent probe, which allowed us to measure participants' reliance on both proactive and reactive control. RESULTS: The results indicate that, although ID show a comparable level of performance as GSC, they show a reduced proactive engagement of cue-induced maintenance and response preparation processes (as reflected by the P3b and the contingent negative variation components). Moreover, in contrast to GSC, ID fail to engage reactive control (as indexed by the P3a component) to overcome invalid response tendencies. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides neurological evidence for impairments in cognitive control functioning in insomnia. As such, our study contributes to a better understanding of the discrepancy between the commonly reported cognitive impairments in insomnia and the scarce objective evidence supporting these cognitive complaints.

Preparing for Mars: human sleep and performance during a 13 month stay in Antarctica.

Study Objectives: Manned spaceflights from Earth to Mars will likely become reality within the next decades. Humans will be exposed to prolonged isolation, confinement, and altered photoperiods under artificial atmospheric conditions, with potential adverse effects on sleep and performance. On Earth, polar environments serve as space analogs to study human adaptation; yet, few studies include polysomnography due to operational constraints. Methods: Polysomnography, self-reported sleepiness and fatigue, and psychomotor performance were measured every 6 weeks in 13 males ("Hivernauts") during a 13 month winter-over campaign at Concordia (Antarctica). Stability and robustness of interindividual differences were examined by means of intraclass correlations. Results: Hivernauts present with high-altitude periodic breathing, increased sleep onset latencies, and reduced psychomotor speed. Except for obstructive apneas, all sleep, sleepiness, and psychomotor performance variables remain stable over time. Individual differences in respiratory variables show the highest degree of stability and robustness, followed by fatigue and situational sleepiness, sleep fragmentation, and psychomotor speed, suggesting moderate to substantial trait-like characteristics for these variables. Phase delays are suspected in Hivernauts, both in individuals with imposed and self-selected bedtimes. A significant decline in psychomotor speed over time is observed in the latter group. Conclusions: Space analog conditions such as isolated confinement, extreme photoperiods, and altered atmospheric conditions affect human sleep and performance. However, individual responses to these extreme environmental challenges show large differences and remain relatively stable under prolonged exposure. Ad hoc polysomnographic, including respiratory function monitoring is therefore recommended for selecting eligible candidates for extraterrestrial sojourns.