Sleep Paralysis among Professional Firefighters and a Possible Association with PTSD-Online Survey-Based Study.
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SUBMITTER: Wrobel-Knybel P
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8468000 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:IntroductionCardiovascular disease is the leading cause of on-duty fatalities among U.S. firefighters. Research has demonstrated that many modifiable risk factors are contributors to the high prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors. The current study aimed to assess whether sleep is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors among Indianapolis firefighters. The findings could support improving sleep hygiene in this population.Material and methodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted from the baseline data of eligible firefighters enrolled in "Feeding America's Bravest", a Mediterranean diet lifestyle intervention within the Indiana Fire Departments. Participants' sleep quality was categorized as "good" (≤ 8 points) or "bad" (>8 points) by a sleep quality questionnaire based on some questions from Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. In addition, firefighters' sleep duration was stratified based on the number of hours slept per night (≤6 as "short sleep" or >6 hours as normal). Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the association of sleep with cardiometabolic risk factors.ResultsA total of 258 firefighters were included. Bad sleepers had higher weight, greater waist circumference, higher body mass index (BMI), and increased body fat (all p<0.01) compared to good sleepers. Similarly, participants with short sleep duration were heavier (p<0.02), had greater BMI (p<0.02) and increased body fat (p<0.04) compared with participants with normal sleep duration. Both bad and short sleepers had a higher prevalence of hypertension and obesity (p <0.05).ConclusionsOur study supports that both sleep quality and quantity are associated with cardiometabolic risk among firefighters.
| S-EPMC8632221 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background Exposure to inhaled smoke, pollutants, volatile organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the firefighting environment has been associated with detrimental respiratory and cardiovascular effects, making firefighters a unique population with both personal and occupational risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Some of these exposures are also associated with development of atrial fibrillation. We aimed to study the association of atrial fibrillation and occupational exposure in firefighters. Methods and Results A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 2018 and December 2019. Data were gathered electronically and stored in a secure REDCap database through Louisiana State University Health Shreveport. Firefighters who were members of at least 1 of 5 preselected professional organizations were surveyed via electronic links distributed by the organizations. The survey queried the number of fires fought per year as a measure of occupational exposure, as well as self-reported cardiovascular disease. A total of 10 860 active firefighters completed the survey, of whom 93.5% were men and 95.5% were aged ≤60 years. Firefighters who fought a higher number of fires per year had a significantly higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation (0-5 fires per year 2%, 6-10 fires per year 2.3%, 11-20 fires per year 2.7%, 21-30 fires per year 3%, 31 or more fires per year 4.5%; P<0.001). Multivariable logistic regression showed that a higher number of fires fought per year was associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (odds ratio 1.14 [95% CI, 1.04-1.25]; P=0.006). Conclusions Firefighters may have an increased risk of atrial fibrillation associated with the number of fires they fight per year. Further clinical and translational studies are needed to explore causation and mechanisms.
| S-EPMC9075462 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Sleep paralysis (SP) is a hypnagogic or hypnopompic state associated with the inability to move while conscious. Recurrent isolated sleep paralysis (RISP) is a type of REM parasomnia. Individuals experiencing anxiety disorders, PTSD, exposure to chronic stress, or shift work are at risk of developing this sleep disorder. This study aimed to assess: (1) the prevalence, frequency, and symptomatology of SP, and (2) the impact of the severity of anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, and lifestyle mode variables on the frequency and severity of SP in four professional groups at high risk of SP (n = 844): nurses and midwives (n = 172), policemen (n = 174), teachers (n = 107), and a group of mixed professions-"other professions" (n = 391). The study used a battery of online questionnaires: the Sociodemographic and Health Status Questionnaire, the SP-EPQ, the PCL -5, the STAI-T, the PSWQ and the PSS-10. The prevalence of SP was the lowest among policemen (15.5%) and the highest in the group of "other professions" (39.4%). The association of SP with symptoms of PTSD and anxiety was confirmed in the group of nurses and "other professions". Among other factors modulating the incidence and severity of SP were: age, BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep duration, and perceived stress. This study indicates that there exist links between SP and psychological and lifestyle factors, suggesting a complex etiology for this sleep disorder. Due to the high prevalence of SP in the studied groups of occupations, further research is necessary to develop preventive and therapeutic methods for SP.
| S-EPMC9265794 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Firefighters appear at an increased risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Because of PTSD-related stigma, firefighters may search for information online. The current study evaluated the quality, readability, and completeness of PTSD online resources, and to determine how the online treatment recommendations align with current evidence. Google.ca (Canada) searches were performed using four phrases: 'firefighter PTSD', 'firefighter operational stress', 'PTSD symptoms', and 'PTSD treatment'. The 75 websites identified were assessed using quality criteria for consumer health information (DISCERN), readability and health literacy statistics, content analysis, and a comparison of treatments mentioned to the current best evidence. The average DISCERN score was 43.8 out of 75 (indicating 'fair' quality), with 9 'poor' websites (16-30), 31 'fair' websites (31-45), 26 "good" websites (46-60), and nine excellent websites (61-75). The average grade level required to understand the health-related content was 10.6. The most mentioned content was PTSD symptoms (48/75 websites) and PTSD treatments (60/75 websites). The most frequently mentioned treatments were medications (41/75 websites) and cognitive behavioural therapy (40/75 websites). Cognitive behavioural therapy is supported by strong evidence, but evidence for medications appears inconsistent in current systematic reviews. Online PTSD resources exist for firefighters, but the information is challenging to read and lacks evidence-based treatment recommendations.
| S-EPMC7593916 | biostudies-literature
Project description:During the past years, the prevalence of sleep problems has been increasing steadily in industrial societies and represents a major social and socioeconomic burden. The situation in Austria was last evaluated in 2007 by Zeitlhofer and colleagues in a representative sample of 1000 participants. In the current study, we sought to evaluate the sleep behaviour of the Austrian population in an ongoing online survey, in which we have collected data from 986 participants (66% women, mean age 40.9 ± 16.4 years) between March 2018 and May 2019. Sleep duration was appropriate in 52% of the respondents (i.e. 7-9 h per night). However, we found an alarmingly high number of self-reported sleep problems (46%), and only 31% of the participants classified themselves as "good sleepers" using a validated self-report questionnaire (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI). Furthermore, many participants reported suffering from sleep problems for a very long time (86% > 6 months; 37% > 5 years) suggesting that currently available treatment options are either ineffective or not employed. Possible reasons for sleep problems could include irregular sleep-wake cycles, increased perceived stress levels, and the use of electronic devices just before sleep.
| S-EPMC7289773 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Sleep paralysis is the unusual experience of waking up in the night without the ability to move. Currently little is known about the experience, despite the fact that the vast majority of episodes are associated with extreme fear and in a minority of cases can lead to clinically significant levels of distress. The aim of this work was to review the existing literature pertaining to the relationship sleep paralysis has to sleep more generally, measured both with subjective questionnaires and objective laboratory recordings. In terms of subjective sleep variables, worse sleep quality has been found in multiple studies to be associated with increased odds of sleep paralysis occurrence. In addition, insomnia symptoms (but not a diagnosed insomnia disorder) have also been found to predict sleep paralysis. Associations between sleep paralysis and other unusual and/or threatening sleep experiences such as nightmares, exploding head syndrome, and lucid dreaming have been reported. In terms of objective measurements, the limited literature to date shows sleep paralysis to be a "mixed" state of consciousness, combining elements of rapid eye movement sleep with elements of wakefulness. Future research needs to focus on longitudinal designs to disentangle the direction of effects and more typically employ a broader assessment of sleep paralysis that better captures associated features such as hallucinations, fear, and distress.
| S-EPMC6220434 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Nightmare disorder and recurrent isolated sleep paralysis are rapid eye movement (REM) parasomnias that cause significant distress to those who suffer from them. Nightmare disorder can cause insomnia due to fear of falling asleep through dread of nightmare occurrence. Hyperarousal and impaired fear extinction are involved in nightmare generation, as well as brain areas involved in emotion regulation. Nightmare disorder is particularly frequent in psychiatric disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder. Nonmedication treatment, in particular imagery rehearsal therapy, is especially effective. Isolated sleep paralysis is experienced at least once by up to 40% of the general population, whereas recurrence is less frequent. Isolated sleep paralysis can be accompanied by very intense and vivid hallucinations. Sleep paralysis represents a dissociated state, with persistence of REM atonia into wakefulness. Variations in circadian rhythm genes might be involved in their pathogenesis. Predisposing factors include sleep deprivation, irregular sleep-wake schedules, and jetlag. The most effective therapy consists of avoiding those factors.
| S-EPMC8116464 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The Hippocampus Consortium data set provides estimates of mRNA expression in the adult hippocampus of 99 genetically diverse strains of mice including 67 BXD recombinant inbred strains, 13 CXB recombinant inbred strains, a diverse set of common inbred strains, and two reciprocal F1 hybrids. The hippocampus is an important and intriguing part of the forebrain that is crucial in memory formation and retrieval, and that is often affected in epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and schizophrenia. Unlike most other parts of the brain, the hippocampus contains a remarkable population of stems cells that continue to generate neurons and glial cells even in adult mammals (Kempermann, 2005). This genetic analysis of transcript expression in the hippocampus (dentate gyrus, CA1-CA3) is a joint effort of 14 investigators that is supported by numerous agencies described in the acknowledgments section.
2016-07-26 | GSE84767 | GEO
Project description:PurposeThis study aimed to gather opinions from medical educators on the possibility of introducing an interview to the Korean Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE) to assess professional attributes. Specifically following topics were dealt with: the appropriate timing and tool to assess unprofessional conduct; the possiblity of prevention of unprofessional conduct by introducing an interview to the KMLE; and the possibility of implementation of an interview to the KMLE.MethodsA cross-sectional study approach based on a survey questionnaire was adopted. We analyzed 104 pieces of news about doctors’ unprofessional conduct to determine the deficient professional attributes. We derived 24 items of unprofessional conduct and developed the questionnaire and surveyed 250 members of the Korean Society of Medical Education 2 times. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulation analysis, and Fisher’s exact test were applied to the responses. The answers to the open-ended questions were analyzed using conventional content analysis.ResultsIn the survey, 49 members (19.6%) responded. Out of 49, 24 (49.5%) responded in the 2nd survey. To assess unprofessional conduct, there was no dominant timing among basic medical education (BME), KMLE, and continuing professional development (CPD). There was no overwhelming assessment tool among written examination, objective structured clinical examination, practice observation, and interview. Response rates of “impossible” (49.0%) and “possible” (42.9%) suggested an interview of the KMLE prevented unprofessional conduct. In terms of implementation, “impossible” (50.0%) was selected more often than “possible” (33.3%).ConclusionProfessional attributes should be assessed by various tools over the period from BME to CPD. Hence, it may be impossible to introduce an interview to assess professional attributes to the KMLE, and a system is needed such as self-regulation by the professional body rather than licensing examination.
| S-EPMC9257525 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background: Previously, we identified sleep-electroencephalography (EEG) spectral power and synchrony features that differed significantly at a population-average level between subjects with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Here, we aimed to examine the extent to which a combination of such features could objectively identify individual subjects with PTSD. Methods: We analyzed EEG data recorded from 78 combat-exposed Veteran men with (n = 31) and without (n = 47) PTSD during two consecutive nights of sleep. To obviate the need for manual assessment of sleep staging and facilitate extraction of features from the EEG data, for each subject, we computed 780 stage-independent, whole-night features from the 10 most commonly used EEG channels. We performed feature selection and trained a logistic regression model using a training set consisting of the first 47 consecutive subjects (18 with PTSD) of the study. Then, we evaluated the model on a testing set consisting of the remaining 31 subjects (13 with PTSD). Results: Feature selection yielded three uncorrelated features that were consistent across the two consecutive nights and discriminative of PTSD. One feature was from the spectral power in the delta band (2-4 Hz) and the other two were from phase synchronies in the alpha (10-12 Hz) and gamma (32-40 Hz) bands. When we combined these features into a logistic regression model to predict the subjects in the testing set, the trained model yielded areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of at least 0.80. Importantly, the model yielded a testing-set sensitivity of 0.85 and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 0.31. Conclusions: We identified robust stage-independent, whole-night features from EEG signals and combined them into a logistic regression model to discriminate subjects with and without PTSD. On the testing set, the model yielded a high sensitivity and a PPV that was twice the prevalence rate of PTSD in the U.S. Veteran population. We conclude that, using EEG signals collected during sleep, such a model can potentially serve as a means to objectively identify U.S. Veteran men with PTSD.
| S-EPMC7673410 | biostudies-literature