title: Comparative analysis of multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT) parameters and occurrence of dreaming in patients with daytime sleepiness of narcoleptic and non-narcoleptic origin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare MSLT parameters in two groups of patients with daytime sleepiness, correlated to the occurrence and onset of dreams.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were submitted to the MSLT between January/1999 and June/2002. Sleep onset latency, REM sleep latency and total sleep time were determined. The occurrence of dreams was inquired following each MSLT series. Patients were classified as narcoleptic (N) or non-narcoleptic (NN).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty patients were studied, 12 were classified as narcoleptics (N group; 40%), while the remaining 18 as non-narcoleptic (NN group; 60%). Thirty MSLT were performed, resulting in 146 series. Sleep was detected in 126 series (86%) and dreams in 56 series (44.44%). Mean sleep time in the N group was 16.0+/-6.3 min, while 10.5+/-7.5 min in the NN group (p<0.0001). Mean sleep latency was 2.0+/-2.2 min and 7.2+/-6.0 min in the N and NN group, respectively (p<0.001). Mean REM sleep latency in the N group was 3.2+/-3.1min and 6.9+/-3.7 min in the NN group (p=0.021). Dreams occurred in 56.9% of the N group series and 28.4% in that of the NN group (p=0.0009). Dream frequency was detected in 29.8% and 75% of the NREM series of the N and NN groups, respectively (p=0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients from the N group, compared to the NN group, slept longer and earlier, demonstrated a shorter REM sleep onset and greater dream frequency. NN patients had a greater dream frequency in NREM series. Thus, the occurrence of dreams during NREM in the MSLT may contribute to differentially diagnose narcolepsy and daytime sleepiness.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitário de Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brazil. eduwaihrich@ig.com.br
authors.forename: Eduardo Siqueira
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Waihrich
authors.forename: Raimundo Nonato Delgado
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Henrique Aragão
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Fernando da Fonseca Melo
authors.initials: Fda F
authors.lastname: Fróes
authors.forename: Guilherme Henrique da Silva
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004325:Dreams / Q000502:physiology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000503:physiopathology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000502:physiology