• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.40-44
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• 2011

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder, which is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) that is typically associated with cataplexy, sleep fragmentation and other REM sleep-related phenomenon such as sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucination. Narcoleptic symptoms can be developed from various medical or neurological disorders. A 17-year-old male patient admitted for the evaluation of EDS which started three-month ago. He slept more than 18 hours a day with cataplexy and hypnagogic hallucination. He was obese with body mass index (BMI) of 30.4 kg/$m^2$. After admission he was newly diagnosed to the thyrotoxicosis. T3 391.2 ng/dL (60-181), free T4 4.38 ng/dL (0.89-1.76), TSH <0.01 ${\mu}IU$/mL (0.35-5.5) were measured. His pulse rate ranged 70-90 beats per minute and blood pressure ranged 150/100-120/70 mmHg. Polysomnography revealed many fragmentations in sleep with many positional changes (81 times/h). Sleep onset latency was 33.5 min, sleep efficiency was 47.9%, and REM latency from sleep onset was delayed to 153.6 min. REM sleep percent was increased to 27.1%. Periodic limb movement index was 13.4/h. In the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), average sleep latency was 0.4 min and there were noted 3 SOREMPs (Sleep Onset REM sleep period) on 5 trials. We couldn't discriminate the obvious sleep-wake pattern in the actigraph and his HLA DQB1 $^*0602$ type was negative. His thyroid function improved following treatment with methimazole and propranolol. Vital sign maintained within normal range. Cataplexy was controlled with venlafaxine 75 mg. Subjective night sleep continuity and PLMS were improved with clonazepam 0.5 mg, but the EDS were partially improved with modafinil 200-400 mg. Thyrotoxicosis might give confounding role when we were evaluating the EDS, though sleep fragmentation was one of the major symptoms of narcolepsy, but enormous amount of it made us think of the influence of thyroid hormone. The loss of sleep-wake cycle, limited improvement of EDS to the stimulant treatmen, and the cataplexy not supported by HLA DQB1 $^*0602$ should be answered further. We still should rule out idiopathic hypersomnia and measuring CSF hypocretin level would be helpful.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.53-62
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• 2018

Objective : The Korean Association of Anxiety Disorders developed Korean guidelines for treatment of panic disorder (PD) 2018. In this paper, we discussed the consensus among psychiatrists, regarding initial and maintenance treatment strategies for pharmacological treatment of PD in Korea. Methods : Based on current treatment guidelines published by the American Psychiatric Association, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, and the Canadian Psychiatric Association, we developed questionnaires pertinent to initial and maintenance treatment strategies for pharmacological treatment of PD. Seventy-two experts in PD answered questionnaires. We classified expert opinions into three categories, first, second, and third-line treatment strategies, by analyzing the 95% confidence interval. Results : Antidepressants, benzodiazepine anxiolytics, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) were recommended as treatments of choice (ToC), and first-line strategies for initial treatment of PD. Escitalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine were preferred from among many anti-panic drugs. Mean starting dose of anti-panic drugs for initial treatment of PD was relatively lower, than that for other psychiatric illnesses such as major depressive disorder. In the case of maintenance treatment of PD, antidepressants and CBT were selected as ToC and first-line strategies. Patients were typically examined every four weeks during treatment, to review effectiveness and side effects of the drug. Pharmacotherapy was generally continued for one year or more. Conclusion : This study provides information about consensus among Korean experts regarding pharmacological treatment strategies for patients with panic disorder.