RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Sleep paralysis (SP) is a rapid eye movement (REM) parasomnia that occurs during the transition between wakefulness and sleep. During this brief state, a person is conscious but unable to move or speak, often experiencing hallucinations. It is 'isolated' when it occurs without other symptoms of narcolepsy or sleep disorders. Despite its prevalence, much remains unknown about its clinical features and associated beliefs. OBJECTIVES: This study examines the frequency of self-reported SP experiences and its associated demographic characteristics, along with participants' beliefs about the condition. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among visitors at a shopping mall, using the Unusual Sleep Experiences Questionnaire (USEQ) to assess the features of SP episodes and the common beliefs surrounding them. RESULTS: A total of 350 participants were surveyed (mean age = 25.5 ± 9.30 years; 55.4 % females). Participants who experienced SP at least once in their life time (39.1 %) reported feeling pressure on their chest (67.2 %), an inability to open their eyes (71.5 %), and difficulty speaking (81.0 %) during the episode. The majority of the individuals reported having their first episode at a young age (16-20 years). Most people (24.5 %) were unaware that this condition was known as sleep paralysis, and many (23.5 %) thought that it was just 'a dream'. CONCLUSION: Isolated sleep paralysis episodes are fairly prevalent, with many people experiencing their first episode at a young age. A typical episode entails a sense of pressure on the chest and difficulty in vocalizing. Misconceptions about the condition are common and wage further exploration.
RESUMO
Objectives: To determine serum levels of lipoprotein(a) in the local population, its relationship with other parameters of lipid profile and statins' response to lipoprotein(a). METHODS: The cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at the Pak-Emirates Military Hospital and Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from March 2018 to March 2019, and comprised of healthy controls in group I, persons with hyperlipidaemia without medications in group II, and diagnosed cases of hyperlipidaemic on statin therapy in group III. The samples were studied using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assasy for lipoprotein(a) estimation, and an automated chemistry analyser for lipid profile estimation. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 90 subjects with a mean age of 43±5 years, 30(33.3%) were in each of the three groups. Mean body mass index, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein were significantly different among the groups. Lipoprotein(a) level was not correlated with statins (p>0.05), but had a positive correlation with low-density lipoprotein. CONCLUSIONS: Lipoprotein(a) was found to be raised even in the absence of dyslipidaemia, and it was controversially raised with statin therapy. Lipoprotein(a) can very well be regarded as an independent risk factor for all the known complications of hyperlipidaemia.