Standardizing Strep Throat Documentation in a Pediatric Outpatient Setting During COVID-19: A Quality Improvement Pilot Project.

Clinicians' nonadherence to the 2012 Infectious Diseases Society of America's group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis guidelines leads to unnecessary in-person clinic visits, unnecessary use of bacterial testing, and inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions. Quality improvement methodology was used during nurse telephone triage at an outpatient pediatric clinic to standardize nurse documentation to align with the GAS guidelines. This pilot project's standardization resulted in improved communication among clinicians and decreased unnecessary resource and antibiotic use despite encountering barriers related to COVID-19.

Multiple Cardiac Biomarker Testing Among Patients With Acute Dyspnea From the ICON-RELOADED Study.

BACKGROUND: Among patients with acute dyspnea, concentrations of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-7 predict cardiovascular outcomes and death. Understanding the optimal means to interpret these elevated biomarkers in patients presenting with acute dyspnea remains unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Concentrations of NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-7 were analyzed in 1448 patients presenting with acute dyspnea from the prospective, multicenter International Collaborative of NT-proBNP-Re-evaluation of Acute Diagnostic Cut-Offs in the Emergency Department (ICON-RELOADED) Study. Eight biogroups were derived based upon patterns in biomarker elevation at presentation and compared for differences in baseline characteristics. Of 441 patients with elevations in all 3 biomarkers, 218 (49.4%) were diagnosed with acute heart failure (HF). The frequency of acute HF diagnosis in this biogroup was higher than those with elevations in 2 biomarkers (18.8%, 44 of 234), 1 biomarker (3.8%, 10 of 260), or no elevated biomarkers (0.4%, 2 of 513). The absolute number of elevated biomarkers on admission was prognostic of the composite end point of mortality and HF rehospitalization. In adjusted models, patients with one, 2, and 3 elevated biomarkers had 3.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-11.1, P = .017), 12.3 (95% CI, 4.60-32.9, P < .001), and 12.6 (95% CI, 4.54-35.0, P < .001) fold increased risk of 180-day mortality or HF rehospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: A multimarker panel of NT-proBNP, hsTnT, and IGBFP7 provides unique clinical, diagnostic, and prognostic information in patients presenting with acute dyspnea. Differences in the number of elevated biomarkers at presentation may allow for more efficient clinical risk stratification of short-term mortality and HF rehospitalization.

Increased Detection of Gonorrhea and Chlamydia After Implementation of a Universal Screening Protocol in a Pediatric Primary Care Clinic.

BACKGROUND: Literature suggests that adolescents may not accurately report sexual activity to their providers, impeding risk-based screening efforts for gonorrhea and chlamydia (GC/CT). We assessed the effect of a clinic-based universal GC/CT screening initiative on GC/CT screening frequency and detection of GC/CT infections among adolescents (boys and girls ≥13 years) and the association between positive GC/CT and documented sexual activity. METHODS: We conducted a pre-post analysis of a primary care clinic affiliated with an academic institution. The electronic medical record was queried to extract all adolescent well and acute encounters for the 12 months preimplementation and postimplementation of universal GC/CT screening in January 2015. RESULTS: Eight hundred fifty-six encounters from 752 unique adolescents were included. Screening increased postimplementation (23.3% vs 61.4%, P < 0.001) of universal screening. Although there were similar rates of documented sexual activity preimplementation and postimplementation (14.6% vs 16.0%), a larger proportion of unknown sexual activity was documented (10.5% vs 23.7%, P < 0.001). Provider-level factors were the most frequent reasons for not screening. The absolute number of GC/CT cases increased, although the proportion of cases out of all eligible adolescents remained similar as more testing was completed (chlamydia, 5 of 752 vs 12 of 752; P = 0.09; gonorrhea, 0 of 752 vs 1 of 752; P = 0.32). Nearly half of positive chlamydia infections postimplementation appeared in adolescents who reported no sexual activity. CONCLUSIONS: Universal screening in a primary care clinic increased screening and detection of cases of gonorrhea and chlamydia, including in adolescents who did not report sexual activity.

The bidirectional relationship between sleep and physical activity following traumatic brain injury.

Sleep and physical activity are both modifiable behavioural factors that are associated with better health and are potentially related. Following traumatic brain injury, damage to the brain caused by an external force, sleep disturbances are common. Exploring bidirectional relationships between sleep and physical activity might provide insight into whether increasing physical activity could decrease these sleep disturbances. The current study, therefore, examined inter- and intra-individual temporal associations between sleep and daytime physical activity in 64 people with traumatic brain injury reporting sleep problems or fatigue (47 males; mean age, 40 years). Sleep and physical activity were measured using actigraphy with corroborating sleep diaries over 14 consecutive days. Multilevel models were used to examine inter- and intra-individual associations between physical activity and sleep. Inter-individual variations showed that earlier bedtimes, earlier wake-up times and lower sleep efficiency were associated with more physical activity. Intra-individual temporal variations showed no significant association of daytime physical activity with sleep duration or continuity. However, shorter sleep time and less wake after sleep onset than usual were associated with more time spent in light-intensity activity the next day. Therefore, sleep may have more of an influence on physical activity than physical activity has on sleep in people with traumatic brain injury. In conclusion, the results do not confirm a potential beneficial effect of physical activity on sleep but suggest that improving sleep quality might be relevant to support of a physically active lifestyle in people with traumatic brain injury. Further research is necessary to confirm these results.

Associations of observer's gender, Body Mass Index and internalization of societal beauty ideals to visual body processing.

We examined whether visual processing mechanisms of the body of conspecifics are different in women and men and whether these rely on westernised socio-cultural ideals and body image concerns. Twenty-four women and 24 men performed a visual discrimination task of upright or inverted images of female or male bodies and faces (Experiment 1) and objects (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, both groups of women and men showed comparable abilities in the discrimination of upright and inverted bodies and faces. However, the gender of the human stimuli yielded different effects on participants' performance, so that female faces, and male bodies appeared to be processed less configurally than female bodies and male faces, respectively. Interestingly, the reduction of configural processing for male bodies was significantly predicted by participants' Body Mass Index (BMI) and their level of internalization of muscularity. Our findings suggest that configural visual processing of bodies and faces in women and men may be linked to a selective attention to detail needed for discriminating salient physical (perhaps sexual) cues of conspecifics. Importantly, BMI and muscularity internalization of beauty ideals may also play a crucial role in this mechanism.

Validity, potential clinical utility and comparison of a consumer activity tracker and a research-grade activity tracker in insomnia disorder II: Outside the laboratory.

Accurate assessment of sleep can be fundamental for monitoring, managing and evaluating treatment outcomes within diseases. A proliferation of consumer activity trackers gives easy access to objective sleep. We evaluated the performance of a commercial device (Fitbit Alta HR) relative to a research-grade actigraph (Actiwatch Spectrum Pro) in measuring sleep before and after a cognitive behavioural intervention in insomnia disorder. Twenty-five individuals with DSM-5 insomnia disorder (M = 50.6 ± 15.9 years) wore Fitbit and Actiwatch and completed a sleep diary during an in-laboratory polysomnogram, and for 1 week preceding and following seven weekly sessions of cognitive-behavioural intervention for insomnia. Device performance was compared for sleep outcomes (total sleep time, sleep latency, sleep efficiency and wake after sleep onset). The analyses assessed (a) agreement between devices across days and pre- to post-treatment, and (b) whether pre- to post-treatment changes in sleep assessed by devices correlated with clinical measures of change. Devices generally did not significantly differ from each other on sleep variable estimates, either night to night, in response to sleep manipulation (pre- to post-treatment) or in response to changes in environment (in the laboratory versus at home). Change in sleep measures across time from each device showed some correlation with common clinical measures of change in insomnia, but not insomnia diagnosis as a categorical variable. Overall, the Fitbit provides similar estimates of sleep outside the laboratory to a research grade actigraph. Despite the similarity between Fitbit and Actiwatch performance, the use of consumer technology is still in its infancy and caution should be taken in its interpretation.

Rationale and design of the ICON-RELOADED study: International Collaborative of N-terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide Re-evaluation of Acute Diagnostic Cut-Offs in the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to reassess use of amino-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) concentrations for diagnosis and prognosis of acute heart failure (HF) in patients with acute dyspnea. BACKGROUND: NT-proBNP facilitates diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment in patients with suspected or proven acute HF. As demographics of such patients are changing, previous diagnostic NT-proBNP thresholds may need updating. Additionally, value of in-hospital NT-proBNP prognostic monitoring for HF is less understood. METHODS: In a prospective, multicenter study in the United States and Canada, patients presenting to emergency departments with acute dyspnea were enrolled, with demographic, medication, imaging, and clinical course information collected. NT-proBNP analysis will be performed using the Roche Diagnostics Elecsys proBNPII immunoassay in blood samples obtained at baseline and at discharge (if hospitalized). Primary end points include positive predictive value of previously established age-stratified NT-proBNP thresholds for the adjudicated diagnosis of acute HF and its negative predictive value to exclude acute HF. Secondary end points include sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios for acute HF and, among those with HF, the prognostic value of baseline and predischarge NT-proBNP for adjudicated clinical end points (including all-cause death and hospitalization) at 30 and 180days. RESULTS: A total of 1,461 dyspneic subjects have been enrolled and are eligible for analysis. Follow-up for clinical outcome is ongoing. CONCLUSIONS: The International Collaborative of N-terminal pro-B-type Natriuretic Peptide Re-evaluation of Acute Diagnostic Cut-Offs in the Emergency Department study offers a contemporary opportunity to understand best diagnostic cutoff points for NT-proBNP in acute HF and validate in-hospital monitoring of HF using NT-proBNP.

The Effect of Prior Caffeine Consumption on Neuropsychological Test Performance: A Placebo-Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the prior consumption of 200 mg of pure caffeine affected neuropsychological test scores in a group of elderly participants aged over 60 years. METHOD: Using a double-blind placebo versus caffeine design, participants were randomly assigned to receive 200 mg of caffeine or placebo. A neuropsychological assessment testing the domains of general cognitive function, processing speed, semantic memory, episodic memory, executive function, working memory and short-term memory was carried out. RESULTS: Significant interaction effects between age, caffeine and scores of executive function and processing speed were found; participants who had received caffeine showed a decline in performance with increasing age. This effect was not seen for participants who received placebo. CONCLUSION: The results highlight the need to consider and control prior caffeine consumption when scoring neuropsychological assessments in the elderly, which is important for accuracy of diagnosis and corresponding normative data.

Does emergency physician empathy reduce thoughts of litigation? A randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesised the addition of brief empathetic statements to physician-patient interaction might decrease thoughts regarding litigation. METHODS: We enrolled a convenience sample of adults in our emergency department (ED) waiting room into a randomised, double-blind controlled trial. Subjects watched videos of simulated discharge conversations between physicians and patient actors; half of the videos differed only by the inclusion of two brief empathetic statements: verbalisations that (1) the physician recognises that the patient is concerned about their symptoms and (2) the patient knows their typical state of health better than a physician seeing them for the first time and did the right thing by seeking evaluation. After watching the video subjects were asked to score a five-point Likert scale their thoughts regarding suing this physician in the event of a missed outcome leading to lost work (primary outcome), and four measures of satisfaction with the physician encounter (secondary outcomes). RESULTS: We enrolled and randomised 437 subjects. 213 in the empathy group and 208 in the non-empathy group completed the trial. Sixteen subjects did not complete the trial due to computer malfunction or incomplete data sheets. Empathy group subjects reported statistically significant less thoughts of litigation than the non-empathy group (mean Likert scale 2.66 vs 2.95, difference -0.29, 95% CI -0.04 to -0.54, p=0.0176). All four secondary measures of satisfaction with the physician encounter were better in the empathy group. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the addition of brief empathetic statements to ED discharge scenarios was associated with a statistically significant reduction in thoughts regarding litigation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01837706.

Perioperative hypothermia in NICU infants: its occurrence and impact on infant outcomes.

Infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) often require surgical intervention and maintaining normothermia perioperatively is a major concern. In our preliminary study of 31 normothermic infants undergoing operative procedures in the operating room (OR), 58% (N = 18) returned hypothermic while all 5 undergoing procedures in the NICU remained normothermic (P = .001). To describe perioperative thermal instability (temperatures lower than 36.0°C) and frequency of associated adverse events, support interventions, and diagnostic tests in infants undergoing operative procedures in the OR and the NICU. This prospective, case-control study included 108 infants admitted to the NICU who were sequentially scheduled for an operative procedure in the OR (50.93%; N = 55) or the NICU (49.07%; N = 53). Existing data from the medical record were collected about temperatures and frequency of adverse cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic events, associated support interventions, and diagnostic tests during the perioperative period. Analyses examined the relative risks and proportional differences in rates of hypothermia between the OR group and the NICU group and associated adverse events, support interventions, and diagnostic tests between hypothermic and normothermic infants. Hypothermia developed in 40% (N = 43) of infants during the perioperative period. The OR group had a higher rate of perioperative hypothermia (65.45%, N = 36; P < .001) and were 7 times more likely to develop perioperative hypothermia (P = .008) than the NICU group (13.21%, N = 7). Likewise, infants in the OR group were 10 times more likely to develop hypothermia during the intra- and postoperative periods than those in the NICU group (P = .001). The hypothermic group had significantly more respiratory adverse events (P = .025), were 6 times more likely to require thermoregulatory interventions (P < .001), 5 times more likely to require cardiac support interventions (P < .006), and 3 times more likely to require respiratory interventions (P = .02) than normothermic infants. Although infants undergoing operative procedures in the OR experienced significantly higher rates of hypothermia than those undergoing procedures in the NICU, both groups experienced unacceptable rates of clinical hypothermia. Hypothermic infants experienced more adverse events and required more support interventions during the intra- and postoperative periods than normothermic infants, thereby demonstrating the negative sequelae associated with thermal instability. As a result, a translational team of key stakeholders has been created to explore multifaceted strategies based on translation science to implement, embed, and sustain perioperative thermoregulation best practices for the infant, regardless of the operative setting.

LACE and the APRN Consensus Model: Implications for Advancing Nursing Practice.

Understanding the historical context and contemporary trends in advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) education and regulation is pivotal for effective professional advocacy. Until the release of the APRN Consensus Model in 2008, a uniform model for APRN regulation was lacking. Adopting the model's recommendations has implications for APRNs beyond licensure and regulation, including full practice authority, license portability, and patient access to APRN-led care. A comprehensive understanding of APRN education and regulation empowers nurses, APRNs, and stakeholders to drive the profession forward through informed advocacy.

Early Peanut Introduction in Infants: Improving Guideline Adherence With EMR Standardization.

OBJECTIVES: Peanut allergy in children is a population health problem. Evidence suggests early peanut introduction (EPI) for infants can reduce the development of peanut allergy. Primary care settings have not widely adopted guidelines recommending EPI. Peanut allergy prevention depends on primary care providers incorporating EPI guidelines into well-child check (WCC) encounters. We aimed to improve guideline adherence in a primary care setting by implementing a bundle of clinical decision support (CDS) tools. METHODS: Using quality improvement methodology, the team developed a standardized work protocol and CDS tools within an electronic medical record (EMR) at 4, 6, and 9-month WCC encounters. The team executed changes and modifications through plan-do-study-act cycles and analyzed results with statistical process control charts. RESULTS: We collected data from 445 WCC encounters from baseline through sustainability. EMR documentation of EPI guidance at 4, 6, and 9-month WCCs shifted from 13.9% to 83.5% over 12 months. Provider adoption of smart lists and templates increased from 2% to 73%, the distribution of home peanut introduction handouts increased from 5.2% to 54.1%, and caregiver-reported peanut ingestion increased from 0% to 34.6%. Diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis vaccination rates remained at 100% for 6-month visits, and patient in-room time remained at 65 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Quality improvement methodology improved documentation of EPI guidance and increased reported peanut ingestion at routine WCC encounters without impacting other measures. Broader use of bundled CDS tools and EMR standardization could further improve guideline adherence and increase early peanut introduction to prevent peanut allergy in infants.

Back Onside protocol: A physical activity intervention to improve health outcomes in people who are unemployed or at risk of unemployment.

Given the effects of physical activity on people's mental and physical health, a better understanding is needed of how physical activity interventions may impact the health of people who are unemployed or at risk of unemployment. This has added urgency in the context of rising rates of poverty-related unemployment in the UK in 2022. The current paper details the protocol used in the evaluation of the Back Onside Programme; a community-based programme delivered by the Bradford Bulls Foundation in the Bradford District. The Programme supports people from low socio-economic backgrounds who are unemployed or at risk of unemployment to maintain regular physical activity through a ten-week physical activity intervention. This pilot study evaluates how a physical activity intervention may impact the mental and physical health of people who are unemployed or at risk of unemployment in an uncontrolled pragmatic pilot study. Four cohorts run back-to-back between May 2021 and May 2022, with separate groups for men (N = 100) and women (N = 60). Physical and wellbeing assessment at baseline and post-intervention is conducted. If the intervention works in this context for these individuals, it will be a promising low-cost community-based intervention for people who are unemployed or at risk of unemployment.

Feeding, growth, nutrition, and optimal interstage surveillance for infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Improvement in operative survival of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome has led to increasing emphasis on prevention of interstage mortality. Many centres have improved interstage results through programmes of home monitoring following discharge after the Norwood (Stage 1) operation. Experience with heightened interstage surveillance has identified failure to thrive during infancy as a modifiable risk factor for this population, one that has been linked to concerning outcomes at subsequent palliative surgeries. Ensuring normal growth as an infant has thus become a priority of management of patients with functionally univentricular hearts. Herein, we review the existing evidence for best practices in interstage surveillance and optimal nutrition in infants with functionally univentricular hearts. In addition, we highlight data presented at HeartWeek 2011, from Cardiology 2011, the 15th Annual Update on Pediatric and Congenital Cardiovascular Disease, and the 11th Annual International Symposium on Congenital Heart Disease.

A Clinic-Based Quality Improvement Initiative to Increase Screening for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia in Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Universal screening is a strategy for addressing the limitations of risk-based screening for gonorrhea and chlamydia (GC/CT). This quality improvement (QI) initiative aimed to improve GC/CT screening by implementing universal annual screening for all adolescents ≥ 13 years old. METHODS: At an academic pediatric resident continuity clinic, an interdisciplinary team designed and conducted multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles over one year. The primary aim, and process measure, was to increase the percentage of encounters with screening for GC/CT in the 12 months prior to the encounter to 80%. The secondary outcome measure was rate of detection of GC or CT infection. Further, pulse checks of provider/staff knowledge and adherence were conducted. The balancing measure was denied insurance claims. RESULTS: The mean screening rate of 29.2% increased during the project implementation to 65.1% with several bundles of PDSA cycles. There were no cases of gonorrhea detected in the baseline period or implementation period. The case rate of chlamydia was similar during both periods (from 9.7 per 1,000 adolescent encounters to 10.8 per 1,000 adolescent encounters, p = 0.74). There was similarly high provider/staff knowledge about (p = 0.35) and adherence to (p = 0.06) the screening protocol at 6 and 12 months of implementation. There was no increase in percentage of denied insurance claims. CONCLUSION: This QI initiative doubled rates of GC/CT screening with no statistically significant increase in number of cases.

Sex-related differences in D-dimer levels for venous thromboembolism screening.

BACKGROUND: D-dimer is generally considered positive above 0.5 mg/L irrespective of sex. However, women have been shown to be more likely to have a positive D-dimer after controlling for other factors. Thus, differences may exist between males and females for using D-dimer as a marker of venous thromboembolic (VTE) disease. We hypothesized that the accuracy of D-dimer tests may be enhanced by using appropriate cutoff values that reflect sex-related differences in D-dimer levels. METHODS: This research is a secondary analysis of a multicenter, international, prospective, observational study of adult (18+ years) patients suspected of VTE, with low-to-intermediate pretest probability based on Wells criteria ≤ 6 for pulmonary embolism (PE) and ≤ 2 for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). VTE diagnoses were based on computed tomography, ventilation perfusion scanning, or venous ultrasound. D-dimer levels were tested for statistical difference across groups stratified by sex and diagnosis. Multivariable regression was used to investigate sex as a predictor of diagnosis. Sex-specific optimal D-dimer thresholds for PE and DVT were calculated from receiver operating characteristic analyses. A Youden threshold (D-dimer level coinciding with the maximum of sensitivity plus specificity) and a cutoff corresponding to 95% sensitivity were calculated. Statistical difference for cutoffs was tested via 95% confidence intervals from 2,000 bootstrapped samples. RESULTS: We included 3,586 subjects for analysis, of whom 61% were female. Race demographics were 63% White, 27% Black/African American, and 6% Hispanic. In the suspected PE cohort, 6% were diagnosed with PE, while in the suspected DVT cohort, 11% were diagnosed with DVT. D-dimer levels were significantly higher in males than females for the PE-positive group and the DVT-negative group, but males had significantly lower D-dimer levels than females in the PE-negative group. Regression models showed male sex as a significant positive predictor of DVT diagnosis, controlling for D-dimer levels. The Youden thresholds for PE patients were 0.97 (95% CI = 0.64 to 1.79) mg/L and 1.45 (95% CI = 1.36 to 1.95) mg/L for females and males, respectively; 95% sensitivity cutoffs for this group were 0.64 (95% CI = 0.20 to 0.89) and 0.55 (95% CI = 0.29 to 1.61). For DVT, the Youden thresholds were 0.98 (95% CI = 0.84 to 1.56) mg/L for females and 1.25 (95% CI = 0.65 to 3.33) mg/L for males with 95% sensitivity cutoffs of 0.33 (95% CI = 0.2 to 0.61) and 0.32 (95% CI = 0.18 to 0.7), respectively. CONCLUSION: Differences in D-dimer levels between males and females are diagnosis specific; however, there was no significant difference in optimal cutoff values for excluding PE and DVT between the sexes.

The Conundrum of an Accumulating Acuminatum.

BACKGROUND A 70-year-old African American man presented with fatigue, dizziness, generalized weakness, and considerable weight loss of over 20 pounds in 3 weeks. History-taking revealed he was positive for HIV, hepatitis C, and severe chronic condyloma acuminatum, which had been progressing for 16 years. Treatment and surgical intervention had been continuously postponed due to the patient's long-standing history of heroin abuse. CASE REPORT Physical exam and diagnostics showed evidence of sepsis. He was hypotensive, with lactic acidosis and significant leucocytosis, and had acute-on-chronic kidney disease. Urinalysis was positive for nitrites and leukocyte esterase; therefore, broad-spectrum antibiotics were initiated. Additional sources of sepsis were considered due to persistent leucocytosis despite appropriate antibiotic coverage. An MRI of the pelvis was done to evaluate for necrosis of fistulization from potential internal warts as a source of sepsis. The lesions extended from the inguinal areas bilaterally, covering the medial thighs, lower scrotal wall, and wall junction. It had infiltrated the perineum and the entire rectal area, including the gluteal cleft and anus. The patient was consulted by colorectal surgery, urology, and infectious disease services. CONCLUSIONS Surgical biopsies found that he had both low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial neoplasia. There was no evidence of invasive carcinoma, which was a concern given his weight loss. Surgery devised a plan that included a diverting colostomy (allowing the infected anal area to heal), followed by resection of his giant condyloma, and re-anastomosing of the bowels to return him to a normal baseline anatomy. A favorable prognosis was expected.

Anxiety predicts dyadic sleep characteristics in couples experiencing insomnia but not in couples without sleep disorders.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety and depression are commonly comorbid with sleep problems. Despite growing acknowledgement that bedpartners are important determinants of sleep quality, few studies have explored mental health as a risk factor for disrupted sleep of the bedpartner. We examined whether anxiety or depression symptoms predicted an individual's sleep or their bedpartner's sleep, in couples where one partner experienced insomnia and in couples without sleep disorders. METHODS: Fifty-two bed-sharing couples where one individual had insomnia ("Patient"), and 55 non-sleep-disordered couples completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Sleep was monitored for seven nights. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models assessed whether anxiety or depression symptoms predicted individual or dyadic sleep (wake transmission). RESULTS: Greater anxiety symptoms predicted increased vulnerability to being woken by their bedpartner, as well as increased frequency of waking their bedpartner up during the night in Patients with insomnia, but not in non-sleep-disordered couples. Neither anxiety nor depression symptoms predicted an individual's or their bedpartner's sleep efficiency in either subsample. However, ISI was positively predicted by own anxiety and depression symptoms for Patients with insomnia and in non-sleep-disordered couples. LIMITATIONS: The non-sleep-disordered subsample experienced only mild symptoms of anxiety and depression, potentially reducing predictive power. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety may help reveal social determinants of sleep in couples experiencing insomnia. These data underscore the importance of considering sleep, the bedpartner, and affective symptoms in mental health and sleep assessments.

Vulnerability and resistance to sleep disruption by a partner: A study of bed-sharing couples.

OBJECTIVES: Methods for analyzing sleep as a dyadic behavior remain relatively unexplored. We aimed to (1) characterize how bedpartners influence each other's sleep, and (2) identify factors that predict sensitivity to wake transmission between bedpartners. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Community members in Melbourne, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-five couples without sleep disorders, aged 18-72 years. MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire, reduced version. Habitual sleep/wake patterns were monitored for seven nights via actigraphy and sleep diary. Epoch-by-epoch sleep/wake concordances (shared sleep/wake minutes), number of transmissions received (number of awakenings immediately preceded by bedpartner wakefulness), percent transmissions received (percentage of total awakenings that were transmissions), transmissibility (percentage of all bedpartner awakenings transmitted), and percent minutes resistant to transmission (percentage of bedpartner's wake minutes that an individual slept), were calculated. Mixed-effects modeling assessed predictors of dyadic sleep. RESULTS: We described rates of sleep concordance (M = 66.8% ± 6.8%), wake concordance (M = 6.8% ± 3.1%), number of transmissions received (M = 6.0 ± 2.7), percent transmissions received (M = 18.9% ± 7.5%), transmissibility (M = 20.0% ± 6.2%), and percent minutes resistant (M = 52.1% ± 13.6%). Average couple-level percent transmissions received were highest and percent minutes resistant lowest in couples who had similar bedtime (within 30 minutes), compared to couples with greater differences in bedtime. CONCLUSIONS: Wake transmission is a useful metric of dyadic sleep, which varies according to relative bedtimes, and chronotypes of bedpartners. Higher wake transmissions for couples with similar bedtimes suggest dyadic preferences for shared bedtimes may be due to psychosocial benefits of shared sleep timing, rather than minimization of bedpartner-driven sleep disruption.