Session Information
Date: Monday, June 20, 2016
Session Title: Parkinson's disease: Non-motor symptoms
Session Time: 12:30pm-2:00pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: To identify nocturnal symptoms in patients which lead to sleep deprivation in carers of PD patients.
Background: SD affects the health status of the PD patients and their carers. SD in carers is usually considered a surrogate marker of carer burden stress seen in chronic diseases such as PD and can be indirectly quantified by the degree of daytime somnolence.1,2
Methods: Data was collected in a proforma from 25 consecutive patients and their carers attending Elderly Movement Disorders Clinic and by PD nurse specialist during domiciliary visits. SD of the carers was assessed using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).
Results: 19 patients (76%) experienced sleep fragmentation (SF) and 12 patients (48%) reported REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder (RBD).7 patients (28%) had Parkinson’s disease Dementia (PDD). SF and RBD were higher in PDD patients as compared to PD patients without dementia (100% and 85% vs 66% and 26%). ESS mean scores were higher in carers of PD patients with either SF or RBD as compared to cares of PD patients without those symptoms (7.1 vs. 2.1).This increased further to 9.2 in carers of PD patients with both SF and RBD.
Conclusions: Our data suggest sleep deprivation tends to be more prominent amongst carers of PD patients with SF and/or RBD. In addition, both SF and RBD tend to be more prevalent in PD patients with PDD. Discussions with carers regarding their health and ability to provide support to PD patients should be highlighted during consultations. Pharmacological intervention to alleviate nocturnal symptoms and carer support should be explored to reduce carer burden stress. References: 1. Johns MW. A new method for measuring daytime sleepiness: The Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Sleep 1991; 14(6):540-5. 2. Heejung Kim, Karen Rose. Sleep disturbance in family caregivers: An overview of the state of art. Archives of psychiatric nursing 2011;25:456-68.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
D. Kulatunga, H. Avery, A.K. Chatterjee, A. Plowman, J. Caffrey, S. Pradhan. Sleep deprivation (SD) amongst carers of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/sleep-deprivation-sd-amongst-carers-of-patients-with-parkinsons-disease-pd/. Accessed May 15, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/sleep-deprivation-sd-amongst-carers-of-patients-with-parkinsons-disease-pd/