TY - JOUR
T1 - Sleep disorders among Yusho patients highly intoxicated with dioxin-related compounds
T2 - A 140-case series
AU - Kondo, Hideaki
AU - Tanio, Keiko
AU - Nagaura, Yuki
AU - Nagayoshi, Mako
AU - Mitoma, Chikage
AU - Furue, Masutaka
AU - Maeda, Takahiro
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by a Grant-in Aid for scientific research from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan (project no: H27-Shokuhin-Shitei-017 ).
PY - 2018/10
Y1 - 2018/10
N2 - Purpose: Patients with Yusho, a condition caused by exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds, have diverse mental and physical complaints. However, the relationship between dioxins and sleep disorders has not yet been examined. This cross-sectional study was designed to investigate problems associated with sleep among patients with Yusho. Methods: A total of 140 participants (52.9% men, average age: 67.1 ± 12.2 years) were examined using questionnaires and medical interviews by an expert on sleep medicine. Demographic and clinical characteristics, including blood concentrations of 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF), which is the major cause of Yusho, were obtained from the results of recent surveys conducted by the Yusho Study Group. Results: Moderate to severe symptoms of insomnia were present in 51.8% of the patients. The median Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global score (PSQI GS) was 8 (interquartile range: 5–11). The prevalence of restless legs syndrome/Willis–Ekbom disease (RLS/WED) was 30.7%; 24.3% of patients had severe RLS/WED (distressing symptoms with a frequency ≥ 1day per week). A higher blood concentration of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF (≥72.27 pg/g lipid) and severe RLS/WED were associated with higher odds of a PSQI GS ≥8, after adjusting for covariates (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 4.84 [1.10–21.25] and 4.15 [1.53–11.28], respectively). Conclusions: Symptoms of insomnia were frequent, and the prevalence of RLS/WED was high in patients with Yusho. In addition to the presence of RLS/WED, a higher blood concentration of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF was associated with lower subjective sleep quality.
AB - Purpose: Patients with Yusho, a condition caused by exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds, have diverse mental and physical complaints. However, the relationship between dioxins and sleep disorders has not yet been examined. This cross-sectional study was designed to investigate problems associated with sleep among patients with Yusho. Methods: A total of 140 participants (52.9% men, average age: 67.1 ± 12.2 years) were examined using questionnaires and medical interviews by an expert on sleep medicine. Demographic and clinical characteristics, including blood concentrations of 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF), which is the major cause of Yusho, were obtained from the results of recent surveys conducted by the Yusho Study Group. Results: Moderate to severe symptoms of insomnia were present in 51.8% of the patients. The median Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global score (PSQI GS) was 8 (interquartile range: 5–11). The prevalence of restless legs syndrome/Willis–Ekbom disease (RLS/WED) was 30.7%; 24.3% of patients had severe RLS/WED (distressing symptoms with a frequency ≥ 1day per week). A higher blood concentration of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF (≥72.27 pg/g lipid) and severe RLS/WED were associated with higher odds of a PSQI GS ≥8, after adjusting for covariates (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 4.84 [1.10–21.25] and 4.15 [1.53–11.28], respectively). Conclusions: Symptoms of insomnia were frequent, and the prevalence of RLS/WED was high in patients with Yusho. In addition to the presence of RLS/WED, a higher blood concentration of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF was associated with lower subjective sleep quality.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2018.05.033
DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2018.05.033
M3 - Article
C2 - 29908457
AN - SCOPUS:85048333056
VL - 166
SP - 261
EP - 268
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
SN - 0013-9351
ER -