Video Polysomnographic Analysis of Dream-Enacting Behaviors in the Patients with REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to analyze dream-enacting behaviors (DEB) using video REM sleep behavior disorder severity scale (RBDSS) during night polysomnography (PSG) and compare them between in patients with idiopathic RBD (iRBD) and patients with symptomatic RBD (sRBD). METHODS: 21 consecutive patients with either iRBD or sRBD were recruited (15 female and 10 male, mean age 63.6+/-13.86 years). Video analysis of DEB in all the REM sleep during their night PSGs was retrospectively performed using RBDSS. According to the clinical history depicting behaviors were also categorized by RBDSS-C to compare with the video RBDSS. Comparison of difference of RBDSS in between patients with iRBD and in those with sRBD was done. The frequency of DEB during the night PSG was measured as RBD density. RESULTS: iRBD patients had higher RBD density than sRBD despite the same disease duration. iRBD patients also tended to have higher RBDSS than sRBD, compatible with higher prevalence of injury history. Night-night variability was observed in the patients comparing RBDSS and RBDSS-C. CONCLUSIONS: RBDSS is an easy tool to analyze severity of DEB in patients with RBD. Analysis of clinical feature of DEB may give a clue to differentiation of RBD patients as well as the alarm for the treatment of RBD to prevent potential injury.