The prevalence of sleep disturbance among asthmatic patients in a tertiary care center.

Sleep disturbances are commonly reported by patients with asthma. However, the prevalence of sleep disturbance and its association with the level of asthma control is unknown. The primary objective was to determine the prevalence of sleep disturbance among Saudi adult asthmatic patients attending pulmonary clinics at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC). The study also aimed to compare sleep quality between controlled and uncontrolled asthma patients. The study was carried out in the outpatient pulmonary clinics at KAMC and utilized a cross-sectional survey. The survey included five different questionnaires: asthma control test and questionnaires related to the quality of sleep (Pittsburgh sleep quality index [PSQI], Epworth sleepiness scale [ESS], Berlin questionnaire [a measure of obstructive sleep apnea risk], and insomnia severity index [ISI]). Among the 200 asthma patients, 66% suffered from poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5), 43% were at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea, 25% had excessive daytime sleepiness (ESS > 10), and 46.5% had significant clinical insomnia (ISI ≥ 10). Poor sleep quality was less common in patients with well-controlled asthma (37%) compared to those with partially controlled asthma (78%) and uncontrolled asthma (82%) (p < 0.001). Poor sleep quality was common among patients with asthma, particularly those with suboptimal levels of asthma control. Further studies are needed to better understand the interaction between these two conditions.

Exposure to cell phones reduces heart rate variability in both normal-weight and obese normotensive medical students.

BACKGROUND: We investigated and compared the effect of the radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EM) emitted by a cell phone on the electrocardiogram and heart rate variability (HRV) of normotensive normal-weight and obese medical students. METHOD: Twenty medical student volunteers, normal weight (age = 23 ± 2, BMI = 23.05 ± 1.72) or obese (age = 24 ± 2, BMI = 32.39 ± 4.78), were exposed to a cell phone (1) close to the heart in silent mode, no ringing or vibrating; (2) close to the heart in ring and vibration mode; (3) next to the ear (brain) while listening; and (4) next to the ear while listening and speaking. RESULTS: The average basal HR of obese students significantly increased, while the PR interval; time domains, including standard deviation (SD) of all normal R-R intervals (SDNN), mean of the SD of all normal R-R intervals (SDNNi), SD of the average of normal R-R intervals (SDANN), and percentage of R-R intervals at least 50 ms different from the previous interval (pNN50); and high-power frequency (HF) decreased. The LF/HF ratio also significantly increased. The SDNN, SDNNi, SDANN, pNN50, and HF levels significantly decreased and the LF/HF significantly increased in normal-weight and obese individuals only when the phone was near the apex of the heart in ring and vibration mode. All changes were more profound in obese students. CONCLUSION: Keeping the phone in a chest pocket reduced the HRV of normal-weight and obese medical students and exaggerated the effect of obesity on sympathetic activation.