• Stress
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.305-311
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of the study was to explore whether the effect of Huanglian-jie-du granule depends on the baseline heart rate variability in patients with Hwa-byung. Methods: We used the supplementary data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Huanglian-jie-du granule for Hwa-byung patients. Study drugs were taken orally three times per day for one week. Heart rate variability was measured three times; before the treatment, after the treatment, and month follow-up period. Spearman's rho test was done to explore the role of the baseline heart rate variability to the effect of Huanglian-jie-du granule. Results: Baseline low frequency power of heart rate variability was negatively correlated with the reduction of the insomnia severity index in experimental group (r=-0.493 p=0.02). Also, Huanglian-jie-de granule significantly decreased the low frequency power of heart rate variability in patients with Hwa-byung compared to placebo (mean difference 266 [95% CI: 29~503], p=0.028). In Hwa-byung symptoms, stuffy, pushing up in the chest, and flush of anger were correlated with low frequency power of heart rate variability (p=0.010, p=0.000, and p=0.016, respectively). Conclusions: The effect of the Huanglian-jie-de granule for insomnia seems to be lower when the baseline low frequency power of heart rate variability is higher in Hwa-byung patients. Also, Huanglian-jie-de granule is likely to decrease the sympathetic activity in patients with Hwa-byung. Measurement of heart rate variability may be the useful to understand the state of Hwa-byung patients.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.267-280
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• 2018

Objectives: The objective of this study was to provide clinical evidence to support the use of a herbal medicine (Cheonwangbosim-Dan/Tianwangbuxin-Pellet (TWBXP)) for insomnia. Methods: Randomized controlled trials that verified effects of Herbal Medicine (Cheonwangbosim-Dan, Tianwangbuxin-Pellet) treating primary insomnia were carried out. A literature search of English, Chinese, Korean databases was also performed. The selected literature were assessed by Risk of Bias (RoB). Results: The total number of selected trials was 13 RCTs. Among the 13 RCTs, 10 were meta-analyzed. The Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders-3 (CCMD-3) was frequently used as the diagnostic criteria for interventions during the analysis of the use of herbal medicine (Cheonwangbosim-Dan/Tianwangbuxin-Pellet) for management of primary insomnia. As for outcome measurement, the effective rate was used. From the Meta-analysis of the studies, it was established that the insomnia cure effective rate in the TWBXP group was higher than that in the Western Medicine (WM) group (RR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.24, p<0.0001, $I^2=33%$). Also, the effective rate in the TWBXP+ACU group was significantly different compared to the WM group (RR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.54, p=0.0004, $I^2=0%$). The quality of the selected RCTs was low. Conclusions: Herbal medicine (Cheonwangbosim-Dan/Tianwangbuxin-Pellet) is effective for treating primary insomnia. It is worth noting that this studies were of relatively poor quality. The sample sizes were also small. Therefore, further investigations into the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia are warranted.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2013

Objectives: Cognitive impairment in restless legs syndrome (RLS) patients can be affected by sleep deprivation, anxiety and depression, which are common in RLS. The objective of this study is to investigate relationship between cognitive impairment and RLS in the non-medicated Korean elderly with controlling for psychiatric conditions. Method: The study sample for this study comprised 25 non-medicated Korean elderly RLS patients and 50 age-, sex-, and education- matched controls. All subjects were evaluated with comprehensive cognitive function assessment tools- including the Korean version of Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Packet (CERAD-K), severe cognitive impairment rating scale (SCIRS), frontal assessment battery (FAB), and clock drawing test (CLOX). Sleep quality and depression were also assessed with Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and geriatric depression scale (GDS). Results: PSQI and GDS score showed no difference between RLS and control group. There was no significant difference between two groups in nearly all the cognitive function except in constructional recognition test, in which subjects with RLS showed lower performance than control group (t=-2.384, p=0.02). Subjects with depression ($GDS{\geq}10$) showed significant cognitive impairment compared to control in verbal fluency, Korean version of Mini Mental Status Examination in the CERAD-K (MMSE-KC), word list memory, trail making test, and frontal assessment battery (FAB). In contrast, no difference was observed between subjects who have low sleep quality (PSQI>5) and control group. Conclusions: At the exclusion of the impact of insomnia and depression, cognitive function was found to be relatively preserved in RLS patients compared to control. Impairment of visual recognition in RLS patients can be explained in terms of dopaminergic dysfunction in RLS.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.279-285
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• 2005

Objectives : This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MPH-OROS and parental satisfaction for treatment of children with ADHD Method : The 569 participants were clinically diagnosed for ADHD using DSM-IV criteria. We switched current medication to MPH-OROS or introduced MPH-OROS for treatment of ADHD. We assessed the clinical global impression severity of illness (CGI-S), the clinical global impression severity of improvement(CGI-I). And the parents of participants measured the Korean version of Conners rating scale at baseline, the 1 st week and the 3rd week after MPH-OROS trial. At the 3rd week, the parents measured the parent satisfaction questionnaire. Results : $13\%$ of participants dropped out because of several causes including side effects. The change of CGI-S was significantly decreased. Using CGI-I, the improvement was $72.3\%$ at the 1st week and $87.4\%$ at the 3rd week. The total score of the Korean version of Conners parent rating scale was significantly decreased. The participants complaining one or more of side effects were 119$(20.7\%)$, and the most common side effect was anorexia. The $94\%$ of parents replied that they were overall satisfied with MPH-OROS trial. Also the advantages of MPH-OROS of parental report were the long duration of the drug, the improvement of schoolwork and attitude, the improvement of home behavior and homework and the improvement of overactivity. Conclusion : MPH-OROS is effective and well-tolerated in actual clinical use for ADHD.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.38-45
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• 2017

Objectives: Sleep disturbance is a very rapidly growing disease with aging. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sleep disturbances and its predictive factors in a three-year cohort study of people aged 60 years and over in Korea. Methods: In 2012 and 2014, we obtained data from a survey of the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. We asked participants if they had been diagnosed with stroke, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, arthritis, pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, cataract, glaucoma, hepatitis B, urinary incontinence, prostate hypertrophy, cancer, osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, or metabolic syndrome. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination for dementia screening in 2012, and depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in 2012 and 2014. In 2015, a structured clinical interview for Axis I psychiatric disorders was administered to 235 people, and sleep disturbance was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The perceived stress scale and the State-trait Anger Expression Inventory were also administered. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict sleep disturbance by gender, age, education, depression score, number of coexisting diseases in 2012 and 2014, current anger score, and perceived stress score. Results: Twenty-seven percent of the participants had sleep disturbances. Logistic regression analysis showed that the number of medical diseases three years ago, the depression score one year ago, and the current perceived stress significantly predicted sleep disturbances. Conclusion: Comorbid medical disease three years previous and depressive symptoms evaluated one year previous were predictive of current sleep disturbances. Further studies are needed to determine whether treatment of medical disease and depressive symptoms can improve sleep disturbances.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2018

Objectives : Firefighters frequently experience traumatic events, high-tension situations and shift work. Therefore, the prevalence of insomnia of firefighters is higher than one of general population. Not only does the quality of sleep affect the satisfaction of personal life, but it also influences their performance for the public's safety. We investigated which factors affect the quality of sleep of firefighters. Methods : After personally delivering 120 questionnaires to 3 fire stations, the survey was conducted when the consents were signed. It inquired about alcohol use, smoking, shift work, sleep quality, depression, anxiety, and experience of traumatic events. We then divided the firefighting officers in two groups according to the quality of sleep and compared the variables examined to conduct the logistic regression analyses according to the results. Results : The poor sleeper group reported a higher level of current alcohol consumption, depression, anxiety and experience of traumatic events. Logistic regression analyses showed that the current alcohol intake (Crude odds ratio=3.707, 95% confidence interval=1.288-10.672, p=0.015 ; Adjusted odds ratio=3.288, 95% confidence interval=1.011-10.694, p=0.048) has a significant effect on sleep quality. Conclusions : Current alcohol consumption, depression, anxiety and experience of traumatic events were respectively associated with sleep quality of firefighters. When all significant factors considered, the current alcohol use was the only statistically significant. To improve the quality of sleep for firefighters, it will be necessary to evaluate alcohol intake, educate the poor sleep quality caused by alcohol, and provide specific interventions to reduce consumption.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.517-525
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• 2007

This study was performed to assess the effects of physiological factors and lifestyles on bone mineral density (BMD) in 64 postmenopausal women. Sixty four subjects were selected out of 223 postmenopausal women in Seoul and Kyunggido. The BMD of the lumbar spine (L2 ${\rightarrow}$ L4) and femoral neck were measured dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Subjects were assigned to one of three groups such as normal (T-score > -1, n = 20), osteopenia (-2.5 < Tscore ${\leq}$ -1, n = 24), and osteoporosis (T-score ${\leq}$ -2.5, n = 20). Anthropometric measurements and questionares were administered to these women. The mean age, height, weight and BMI were 62.09 yrs, 153.78 cm, 56.09 kg and 23.70 $kg/m^2$ respectively. The BMDs of lumbar spines (L2 ${\rightarrow}$ L4), femoral neck were 0.84 $g/cm^2$, 0.71 $g/cm^2$ respectively. Years after menopause and age of last delivery of the osteoporosis and osteopenia group were significantly longer than the normal group (p < 0.05). The hours of exercise and outdoor activity of the normal group were longer than the osteoporosis and osteopenia group, but there were no significant differences among the three groups. The BMDs of these two sites were positively correlated with weight, BMI, hip and body fat and negatively correlated with LBM, TBW. These results show there are no consistent effects on bone mineral density, adjusting for age and BMI, of physiological factors and lifestyles in postmenopausal women. Therefore. this study confirmed that one of the most effective ways to minimize bone loss in postmenopausal women would be to maintain an adequate body weight.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2015

Objectives: Whether daytime sleepiness is proportional to the severity of sleep apnea in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is controversial. In this study we investigated how insomnia severity affects the association between daytime sleepiness and sleep apnea severity in OSAS. Methods: The present study included 235 male subjects who were diagnosed with OSAS based on clinical history and nocturnal polysomnography. Pearson's correlation analysis was conducted among sleep and mood-related self-reported data, polysomnographic data and demographic data of all subjects. Based on Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the subjects were divided into 2 groups; group A (n = 75; $PSQI{\leq}5$) and group B (n = 160; PSQI > 5). Partial correlation analysis was performed between the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and other data in both groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to investigate the factors which affected the ESS in group A. Results: Pearson's correlation analysis showed weak or non-existent correlations between ESS and apnea severity data such as apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) (r = 0.148, p = 0.023), apnea index (AI) (r = 0.137, p = 0.036), hypopnea index (HI) (r = 0.058, p = 0.377), oxygen desaturation index (ODI) (r = 0.149, p = 0.022) and arousal total index (ATI) (r = 0.129, p = 0.048). Positive correlations between ESS and apnea severity data such as AHI ($r_p=0.313$, p = 0.008), AI ($r_p=0.339$, p = 0.004), ODI ($r_p=0.289$, p = 0.015) and ATI ($r_p=0.256$, p = 0.031) were observed only in group A. Multiple regression analysis showed that AI (t = 2.996, p = 0.004) and BAI (t = 2.721, p = 0.008) were associated with ESS in group A. Conclusion: The correlation between daytime sleepiness and sleep apnea severity was shown only in group A. This result suggests that associations between daytime sleepiness in OSAS and sleep apnea severity will become prominent when controlling for insomnia-related variables.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 2002

Objective: Stress is known to be a common cause of short-term insomnia and insomniacs often complain that stress induces sleep problems. However, previous studies on the correlation between stress and sleep do not show consistent results. We aimed to investigate the effects of minor stressful events on sleep among college students. Method: Physically and mentally healthy college student volunteers filled out a self-assessment questionnaire to evaluate their stress and sleep. To find out the status of average stress and sleep, the volunteers filled out K-DSI and daily sleep assessments on three consecutive days. In addition, we surveyed the amount of caffeine beverage intake and assessed the degree of depression and anxiety. Results: The total number of students participating in this study was 202, 101 men and 101 women. Minor stress turned out to significantly affect non-restorative sleep and secondary symptoms of insomnia (awakening difficulty, displeasure, feeling of dissatisfaction with sleep, physical uneasiness or pain at awakening, daytime sleepiness, depressive moods, tiredness and concentration difficulty). However, global PSQI score, self-reported sleeping hours, sleep latency, awakening frequency, frequency and duration of napping, were not explained by stress scores. Conclusion: In this study, minor stresses seemed to affect sleep, especially secondary symptoms caused by non-restorative sleep. We can thus infer that minor stresses impair the restorative effects of sleep by inducing arousal, and the direct relationship the two can be confirmed by polysomnogram.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.64-69
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• 2015

Objectives: We investigated whether sleep behaviors, severity of insomnia and circadian typology are associated with quality of life among Gyeongsang National University (GNU) medical students. Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to 46 fourth-year students of GNU Medical School. The hospital anxiety-depression scale, insomnia severity index (ISI), morningness-eveningness questionnaire (MEQ) and WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) were used. Results: Quality of life in terms of physical health was associated with age, weekday total sleep time (TST), weekend TST, catch up sleep, depression, ISI score, and MEQ score. Quality of life in terms of psychological health was correlated to weekday and weekend TST, anxiety, ISI score and MEQ score. Sex, weekday TST, depression, and ISI score were revealed to influence the social aspect of quality of life, and weekday and weekend TST, and ISI score were associated with quality of life in terms of environment. Multiple regression analysis showed that better sleep quality predicted to a higher quality of life in terms of physical, psychological and environmental health, and eveningness was associated with a better quality of life in terms of physical and psychological health. Conclusion: It is concluded that physical, psychological, and environmental aspects of quality of life were associated with quality of sleep and that physical and psychological aspects of quality of life were related to eveningness in GNU medical students. Therefore, it is equally important to treat emotional problem as well as improve sleep quality.