The rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder in Chinese-Taiwanese patients.
OBJECTIVE
While the features of rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) have been reported in Caucasian patients, the characteristics of Chinese-Taiwanese patients with RBD have never been examined.


METHODS
Subjects were retrospectively recruited between April 2005 and February 2008 from the neurological clinic and sleep laboratory in the Department of Neurology of Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital. A total of 70 consecutive subjects fulfilling the criteria for RBD were recruited.


RESULTS
The records of standard overnight polysomnography in patients with RBD were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-five (35.7%) of the patients were female; the mean age of diagnosis was 67 years and the mean age of symptom onset was 60 years. Among patients with idiopathic RBD, there were 28 men (61%) and 18 women (39%). Nocturnal wandering in the bedroom was reported in 11 cases and out of the bedroom in seven cases. Nineteen patients (27.1%) had accidental falling from bed and 27 patients (38.6%) had sleep-related injury that resulted in ecchymosis and laceration of the head, face or limbs.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that some features in Chinese-Taiwanese patients with RBD were different from Caucasian patients, such as a greater female ratio, lower injury episodes during sleep and more sleep wandering.
Lin
Feng-Cheng
FC
Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Lai
Chiou-Lian
CL
Huang
Poyin
P
Liu
Ching-Kuan
CK
Hsu
Chung-Yao
CY
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004438:Ecchymosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D022125:Lacerations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D020187:REM Sleep Behavior Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013009:Somnambulism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data