Investigation and Analysis of Sleep Status in Patients with Vascular Depression

Background

To investigate the sleep status of patients with vascular depression (VD) and analyze the characteristics of sleep by polysomnogram.

Methods

50 VD patients, 30 patients with non-vascular depression (NVD) and 50 normal subjects were enrolled. All subjects were evaluated by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS). All these patients were monitored by polysomnography (PSG).

Results

The PSQI scores of the VD patients didn't show difference compared with that of NVD, but both of them were significantly higher than the normal. The ESS scores of VD patients were significantly higher than other groups. The total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE) and sleep maintenance (SMT) in NVD patients and VD patients were poorer, and the waking time after sleep onset (WASO) and sleep latency (SL) were significantly longer. The N1/N2 ratio was longer, and the N3/REM ratio was shorter in NVD patients and VD patients. The HAMD score was negatively correlated with RL and positively with RD, RA and RI. The RL of VD patients was longer than the normal, and RD and RI were higher in VD patients, there was no difference in RA. The obstructivity and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) significantly increased in VD patients.

Conclusion

The characteristic PSG findings of the NVD patients were shortening REM sleep latency and REM disinhibition. Characteristics of VD with PSG patients were sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD) and daytime sleepiness, and disorders of 24-h sleep structure.