Sleep related breathing disturbances and nocturnal akinesia in Parkinson's disease patients: a cross section study

We studied the occurrence of sleep related breathing disturbances (SRBD) and nocturnal akinesia in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and evaluated the likelihood that PD symptoms consistently influence these sleep disorders. Ninety-two PD patients (mean age 69 years; mean Webster rating score 13) were studied. An ambulatory sleep disorder screening device (MESAM4) was used to measure oxygen saturation, heart rate, snoring sounds and body position during sleep. Sleep related breathing disturbance (SRBD) was diagnosed if typical cyclic oxygen desaturations > 4% more than 10 times/h were recorded, A nocturnal akinesia was diagnosed if there were < 0.3 changes of body positions/hour or a maximal time in one position of more than 4.3 h. There was evidence of SRBD in 17% of PD patients. SRBD correlated positively with high rigidity and bradykinesia scores as well as high Webster rating scale scores and age of men. Thirty percent of PD patients had an objective nocturnal akinesia. This was also combined with a high rigidity scope. No relation between SRBD or Nocturnal akinesia, L-Dopa intake, duration of the disease or onset of the disease was found.