Use of remote monitoring and integrated platform for the evaluation of sleep quality in adult-onset idiopathic cervical dystonia

Abstract

Background Up to 70% of individuals diagnosed with adult-onset idiopathic focal cervical dystonia (AOIFCD) report difficulties with sleep. Larger cohort studies using wrist-worn accelerometer devices have emerged as an alternative to smaller polysomnography studies, in order to evaluate sleep architecture. Methods To measure activity during the sleep/wake cycle, individuals wore a consumer-grade wrist device (Garmin vivosmart 4) continuously over 7 days on their non-dominant wrist, while completing a daily sleep diary and standardised sleep and non-motor questionnaires via a dedicated app. Sleep measures were derived from the captured raw triaxial acceleration and heart rate values using previously published validated algorithms. Results Data were collected from 50 individuals diagnosed with AOIFCD and 47 age- and sex-matched controls. Those with AOIFCD self-reported significantly higher levels of excessive daytime sleepiness (p = 0.04) and impaired sleep quality (p = 0.03), while accelerometer measurements found the AOIFCD cohort to have significantly longer total sleep times (p = 0.004) and time spent in NREM sleep (p = 0.009), compared to controls. Overall, there was limited agreement between wearable-derived sleep parameters, and self-reported sleep diary and visual analogue scale records. Discussion This study shows the potential feasibility of using consumer-grade wearable devices in estimating sleep measures at scale in dystonia cohorts. Those diagnosed with AOIFCD were observed to have altered sleep architecture, notably longer total sleep time and NREM sleep, compared to controls. These findings suggest that previously reported disruptions to brainstem circuitry and serotonin neurotransmission may contribute to both motor and sleep pathophysiology.

Improving Sleep Quality, Daytime Sleepiness, and Cognitive Function in Patients with Dementia by Therapeutic Exercise and NESA Neuromodulation: A Multicenter Clinical Trial

“…Daytime sleepiness: This was evaluated using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) [51]. It estimates the probability (0-never; 1-few; 2-moderate; 3-many) of falling asleep in eight different situations.…”

Non-motor symptoms in dystonia: from diagnosis to treatment

“…Selecting the most informative and feasible method of sleep assessment in people with dystonia remains a crucial goal. A recent multi-modal study of sleep quality used 1-week remote monitoring of 50 people with CD and 50 control participants through a consumer-grade wrist triaxial accelerometer, coupling it to daily sleep diary and other non-motor symptom questionnaires [53]. Accelerometry showed significantly longer total sleep time and time spent in NREM sleep in CD patients compared to control subjects, however, also evident was discrepancy between self-report and wearable data, significant for both dystonia and control subjects.…”