Sleep anomalies in the chronic fatigue syndrome. A comorbidity study.
Polysomnographic findings were compared between a group of patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS; n = 49) and a matched healthy control (HC) group (n = 20). Sleep initiation and sleep maintenance disturbances were observed in the CFS group. The percentage of stage 4 was significantly lower in the CFS group. A discriminant analysis allowed a high level of correct classification of CFS subjects and HC. Sleep-onset latency and the number of stage shifts/hour contributed significantly to the discriminant function. The presence of these anomalies as well as the decrease in stage 4 sleep were not limited to the patients also diagnosed with fibromyalgia or with a psychiatric disorder. No association was found between sleep disorders and the degree of functional status impairment. The mean REM latency and the percentage of subjects with a shortened REM latency were similar in CFS and HC.
Fischler
B
B
Department of Psychiatry, Academic Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Belgium.
Le Bon
O
O
Hoffmann
G
G
Cluydts
R
R
Kaufman
L
L
De Meirleir
K
K
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000502:physiology