objectives: ：Far-infrared (FIR) lights have been investigated for sleep quality intervention. We sought to measure the advantageous effects of FIR in sleep using polysomnographic data as the objective outcomes. Methods: ：The ten healthy volunteers were enrolled in a single-center, prospective, patient-blind, single-arm trial. Individuals slept on a sham mattress and a FIR emitting mattress with polysomnography for one night each. Results: ：Sleep efficiency showed an increasing trend but was not statistically significant. PSQI-K significantly decreased (p=0.013). The latency to REM of the baseline was shorter than that of the intervention (p=0.008). Though there was no statistical significance, Stage N1 and N2 were shortened, and Stage N3 was prolonged after the intervention compared to the baseline. Conclusions ：The FIR-emitting mattresses improved sleep quality on self-reported insomnia. We suggested the candidate for the markers altered by the FIR therapy, such as the normalization of REM latency and increased N3 sleep.

BACKGROUND: Catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) occurs when medical expenditure of a household passes over a certain ratio of household income. This research studied the effect of gender on CHE based on Korea Health Panel data. METHODS: This study implemented binary logistic regression model to figure out whether gender affects CHE and how different gender groups show pattern of CHE process. With gender, age, marital status, income level, economic activity, membership of private insurance, existence of chronic disease, and self-rated health were included in the model. RESULTS: Results showed that females faced CHE 1.5 times more than males (odds ratio, 1.241). Also, main determinants of CHE in female groups were marital status, while age and economic activity status were significant in male groups. Subgroup analysis displayed that married female under 35 years old are located in intersectionality of CHE including pregnancy and delivery, multiple health risk behaviors, mental stress, and relatively vulnerable social status due to lower income. Meanwhile, both gender above 50 years old faced remarkably high chance of CHE, which seems to be caused by complex health risk behaviors and chronic diseases. CONCLUSION: Such results implied not only that gender is an important determinant of CHE, but also other determinants of CHE differ according to gender, which suggests a necessity of gender-based CHE support and rescue policy.
Chronic Disease ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Health Expenditures ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Marital Status ; Pregnancy ; Risk-Taking

No abstract available.
Dystonia

In this case report, we tried to see the relationship between the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) adherence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patient and the height of pillow. The patient was 41-year old female with OSA and had trouble adjusting to CPAP therapy due to the high pressure of the CPAP. We performed a overnight polysomnography for 8 hours in hospital and compared the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) score and optimal CPAP pressure after changing the height of the pillow. The lower pillow setting had lower AHI score and lower optimal CPAP pressure which made the patient to feel more comfortable while sleeping. In conclusion, height of the pillow deserves consideration as a factor to promote CPAP adherence with lowering pressure, especially in the patients who are suffering with high pressure CPAP therapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the effect on sleep of rivastigmine transdermal patch in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Patients with probable AD underwent a sleep questionnaire, overnight polysomnography and neuropsychological tests before and after rivastigmine transdermal patch treatment. We analyzed the data from enrolled patients with AD. RESULTS: Fourteen patients with probable AD were finally enrolled in this study. The respiratory disturbance index after the rivastigmine patch treatment was improved in patients with probable AD and sleep breathing disorder, compared with that of before treatment (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Rivastigmine transdermal patch application are expected to improve the symptoms of sleep disordered breathing in patients with probable AD. Further placebo controlled studies are needed to confirm these results.
Alzheimer Disease* ; Humans ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Polysomnography ; Respiration ; Rivastigmine* ; Sleep Apnea Syndromes* ; Transdermal Patch*

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Electroencephalography (EEG) is often used as a screening tool for selecting pilots despite controversy regarding its contribution to aviation safety. We investigated EEG abnormalities in Korean commercial pilot applicants in order to identify the usefulness of EEG screening in this population. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the EEG results of 740 unselected pilot applicants who underwent waking EEG at Inha University Hospital from January 2013 to May 2017. EEG recording was performed for 30 minutes, which included 3 minutes of hyperventilation and intermittent photic stimulation. RESULTS: The pilot applicants were predominantly male (95.3%) and had a mean age of 27.8 years (range: 16–40 years). Nine of them (1.2%) exhibited EEG abnormalities; the most common abnormality (six applicants) was a small amount of generalized irregular slow activities, while the other three applicants (0.4%) exhibited epileptiform discharges, with two showing generalized spike-and-wave complexes and one showing a few spike-and-wave complexes in the left frontotemporal area. The two applicants with generalized spike-and-wave complexes were found to have experienced clinical seizures by a neurologist during detailed history-taking. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that 2 of 740 pilot applicants (0.3%) were diagnosed with epilepsy by routine EEG screening in an unselected population. Considering the low predictive value of EEG without the relevant clinical history in an unselected healthy young population, our findings raise questions regarding the cost-effectiveness of the current EEG screening protocol applied to pilot applicants. We suggest that a more-targeted and standardized EEG screening approach be applied to pilot applicants with epilepsy risk factors or a seizure history as determined by thorough medical history-taking.
Aviation ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Hyperventilation ; Korea* ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Photic Stimulation ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Seizures

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), an acetylated form of L-carnitine, is able to influence the activity of cholinergic neurons, cell membrane stabilization and enhancing mitochondrial function. A 52-year-old woman was referred to neurology clinic for memory impairment within 1 year. She was administered ALC as dose of 1,500 mg per day for improving memory decline. After 14 days from administrating ALC, she complained vivid dreams at every night. Vivid dream was disappeared after ceasing ALC. Another patient, a 72-year-old man, visited neurology clinic for cognitive decline for 2 years. After 20 days from administering ALC with dose of 1,500 mg per day, he also suffered from vivid dreams at every night. His previous stable sleep was also restored after ceasing ALC. ALC supplementation may present vivid dreams as a side effect. Possibility of vivid dream as a side effect should be considered during the management with oral ALC.
Acetylcarnitine* ; Aged ; Carnitine ; Cell Membrane ; Cholinergic Neurons ; Dreams* ; Female ; Humans ; Memory ; Middle Aged ; Neurology

Foot drop usually results from lesions affecting the peripheral neural pathway related to dorsiflexor muscles, especially the peroneal nerve. Although a central nervous system lesion is suspected when there is a lack of clinical evidence for a lower motor neuron lesion, such cases are extremely rare. We describe a patient with sudden isolated foot drop caused by a small acute cortical infarction in the high convexity of the precentral gyrus. This report indicates that a cortical infarction may have to be considered as a potential cause of foot drop.
Central Nervous System ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Foot* ; Humans ; Infarction ; Motor Neurons ; Muscles ; Neural Pathways ; Peroneal Nerve

enuresis nocturia is more prevalent in children than in adults. Using polysomnography (PSG), we investigated the causes of adult enuresis nocturia in a 20-year-old female patient with nighttime bedwetting. In spite of normal urological examinations, her detailed medical history disclosed frequent sleep paralysis and urination during dreams. During PSG, two electromyograms were attached to her anus to assess the tone of her bladder's sphincter while she slept. During REM sleep, the EMG tone of the mandible decreased, but the anal and bladder sphincter tones did not. The polysomnogram revealed moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Consequently, she was diagnosed with adult parasomnia (nocturnal enuresis) overlap syndrome with OSA. This study demonstrates the value of PSG with simultaneous anal tone EMG for diagnosing NREM parasomnia and nocturnal enuresis.

No abstract available.
Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Bruxism