Sleep disturbance in multiple sclerosis: correlation with clinical and MRI findings

ABSTRACT

Sleep disorders are pervasive in patients with multiple sclerosis [MS], although clinically under recognized by most physicians. Approximately half of all patients with MS report sleep-related problems. To determine whether disturbance of sleep exists in patient with MS and if they correlate with clinical and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]. We studied twenty two patients with MS. They were subjected to full clinical and neurological assessment, sleep history, an overnight and on the following day polysomnographic [PSG] study, and MRI study. Fifteen healthy subjects were selected as a control group. MS patients had significantly reduced sleep efficiency, remarkable increased in sleep latency and arousal index, decreased depth of sleep, increased PLM index and respiratory disturbance index [RDI], and decreased REM sleep percentages. Factors that influence quality of sleep in those patients were studied. Sleep disturbances are pervasive in patients with MS, they may be due to physical discomfort, disease severity, nocturia, pain, nocturnal movement disorder, sleep- disordered breathing, location of lesion and narcolepsy