Evaluation of Sleep Disturbances in Patients with Nocturnal Epileptic Seizures

1) Background and Objectives: Epilepsy is frequently associated with sleep disturbances. In this study we aim to analyze the prevalence of sleep disorders among patients with epilepsy, with exclusively or predominantly nocturnal seizures, considering demographic factors, clinical, and electroencephalography (EEG) aspects. 2) Materials and methods: in our study were included 69 patients with nocturnal epilepsy. Sleep disturbances were measured with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, followed by a long-term video-EEG monitoring during sleep. We analyzed the PSQI results of our patients in relation to their gender, age, place of origin, and we determined the correlations between the PSQI scores and the modifications on video-EEG recordings. Our findings were compared to a control group of 25 epileptic subjects without nocturnal seizures. 3) Results: in our study group, the mean PSQI score was 7.36, rang-ing between 0-18. Women had higher PSQI scores than men. We examined the existence of rela-tionships between the PSQI score and certain sleep-related factors, evidenced on the nocturnal video-EEG. We found a statistically significant difference between PSQI values of patients who reached the N2 stage, respectively, the N3 stage of non-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, high-lighting that those with a more superficial nocturnal sleep also had higher PSQI scores. There was a statistically significant difference between patients with fragmented sleep and those with a continuous sleep, with regard to the average values of the PSQI score. 4) Conclusions: in this study we evidenced a poor quality of sleep in patients with nocturnal epilepsy. Associated find-ings were remarkable changes in sleep architecture, and increase of daytime sleepiness.

1) 背景与目的：癫痫常伴随睡眠障碍。本研究旨在分析仅或主要以夜间发作为表现的癫痫患者的睡眠障碍患病率，并结合人口统计学、临床及脑电图（electroencephalography, EEG）相关因素展开研究。2) 材料与方法：本研究共纳入69例夜间性癫痫患者。采用匹兹堡睡眠质量指数（Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI）问卷评估患者的睡眠障碍状况，并于睡眠期间开展长期视频脑电图（video-EEG）监测。本研究分析了患者PSQI评分与性别、年龄、籍贯的相关性，并探究了PSQI评分与视频脑电图记录改变之间的关联；同时将本研究结果与25例无夜间发作的癫痫患者组成的对照组进行对比。3) 结果：本研究组患者的PSQI平均评分为7.36，评分范围为0~18分。女性患者的PSQI评分高于男性。本研究考察了PSQI评分与夜间视频脑电图所记录的部分睡眠相关因素之间的关系。研究发现，达到非快速眼动（non-rapid eye movement, NREM）睡眠N2期、N3期的患者，其PSQI值存在统计学显著差异，提示夜间睡眠更浅的患者PSQI评分更高。睡眠碎片化患者与睡眠持续平稳患者的PSQI平均评分同样存在统计学显著差异。4) 结论：本研究证实，夜间性癫痫患者的睡眠质量较差。相关伴随表现包括睡眠结构显著异常以及日间嗜睡程度升高。