title: Sleep-disordered breathing and agitation in institutionalized adults with Alzheimer disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors examined the relationship between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and agitation in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight AD patients (29 women, 9 men) in nursing homes in San Diego, CA participated. The mean age was 82.3 years, with a range of 61 to 95 years. Mean Mini-Mental State Exam score was 6.5 (range: 0-16). Sleep was recorded for one night, and agitation was measured with behavioral observations and ratings by nursing staff.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SDB was very prevalent in this sample and was related to some types of agitation during the day but not in the evening or night. Aggressive Agitation on the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory and Manual Manipulation on the Agitated Behavior Rating Scale were greater with more severe SDB. Searching and wandering agitation decreased with more severe SDB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study supports the hypothesis that SDB is related to agitation in AD, although the results are specific to certain types of agitation. Treatment of SDB may decrease agitation, easing the burden of caregiving and prolonging the time that patients are able to remain at home.
authors.affiliation: San Diego State Unviersity of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, Brown University of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, San Diego, California 92161, USA.
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Gehrman
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shochat
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corey-Bloom
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ancoli-Israel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009735:Nursing Homes; D015995:Prevalence; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D012114:Residential Treatment; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*