Medicine (Austin & Northern Health) - Research Publications
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ItemProlonged Eyelid Closure Episodes during Sleep Deprivation in Professional Drivers(AMER ACAD SLEEP MEDICINE, 2016)STUDY OBJECTIVES: Real life ocular measures of drowsiness use average blink duration, amplitude and velocity of eyelid movements to reflect drowsiness in drivers. However, averaged data may conceal the variability in duration of eyelid closure episodes, and more prolonged episodes that indicate higher levels of drowsiness. The current study aimed to describe the frequency and duration of prolonged eyelid closure episodes during acute sleep deprivation. METHODS: Twenty male professional drivers (mean age ± standard deviation = 41.9 ± 8.3 years) were recruited from the Transport Workers Union newsletter and newspaper advertisements in Melbourne, Australia. Each participant underwent 24 hours of sleep deprivation and completed a simulated driving task (AusEd), the Psychomotor Vigilance Task, and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale. Eyelid closure episodes during the driving task were recorded and analyzed manually from digital video recordings. RESULTS: Eyelid closure episodes increased in frequency and duration with a median of zero s/h of eyelid closure after 3 h increasing to 34 s/h after 23 h awake. Eyelid closure episodes were short and infrequent from 3 to 14 h of wakefulness. After 17 h of sleep deprivation, longer and more frequent eyelid closure episodes began to occur. Episodes lasting from 7 seconds up to 18 seconds developed after 20 h of wakefulness. Length of eyelid closure episodes was moderately to highly correlated with the standard deviation of lateral lane position, braking reaction time, crashes, impaired vigilance, and subjective sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency and duration of episodes of prolonged eyelid closure increases during acute sleep deprivation, with very prolonged episodes after 17 hours awake. Automated devices that assess drowsiness using averaged measures of eyelid closure episodes need to be able to detect prolonged eyelid closure episodes that occur during more severe sleep deprivation.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableHealth Care Access and Use Among Adults with Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic-United States, February-March 2021(CENTERS DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION, 2021-11-19)Diabetes affects approximately one in 10 persons in the United States† and is a risk factor for severe COVID-19 (1), especially when a patient's diabetes is not well managed (2). The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has affected diabetes care and management, and whether this varies across age groups, is currently unknown. To evaluate access to and use of health care, as well as experiences, attitudes, and behaviors about COVID-19 prevention and vaccination, a nonprobability, Internet-based survey was administered to 5,261 U.S. adults aged ≥18 years during February-March 2021. Among respondents, 760 (14%) adults who reported having diabetes currently managed with medication were included in the analysis. Younger adults (aged 18-29 years) with diabetes were more likely to report having missed medical care during the past 3 months (87%; 79) than were those aged 30-59 years (63%; 372) or ≥60 years (26%; 309) (p<0.001). Overall, 44% of younger adults reported difficulty accessing diabetes medications. Younger adults with diabetes also reported lower intention to receive COVID-19 vaccination (66%) compared with adults aged ≥60 years§ (85%; p = 0.001). During the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts to enhance access to diabetes care for adults with diabetes and deliver public health messages emphasizing the importance of diabetes management and COVID-19 prevention, including vaccination, are warranted, especially in younger adults.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableMental Health Among Parents of Children Aged <18 Years and Unpaid Caregivers of Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, December 2020 and February-March 2021(CENTERS DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION, 2021-06-18)Early during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly two thirds of unpaid caregivers of adults reported adverse mental or behavioral health symptoms, compared with approximately one third of noncaregivers† (1). In addition, 27% of parents of children aged <18 years reported that their mental health had worsened during the pandemic (2). To examine mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic among U.S. adults on the basis of their classification as having a parenting role (i.e., unpaid persons caring for children and adolescents aged <18 years, referred to as children in this report) or being an unpaid caregiver of adults (i.e., persons caring for adults aged ≥18 years),§ CDC analyzed data from cross-sectional surveys that were administered during December 2020 and February-March 2021 for The COVID-19 Outbreak Public Evaluation (COPE) Initiative.¶ Respondents were categorized as parents only, caregivers of adults only, parents-caregivers (persons in both roles), or nonparents/noncaregivers (persons in neither role). Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for any adverse mental health symptoms, particularly suicidal ideation, were higher among all respondents who were parents, caregivers of adults, or both compared with respondents who were nonparents/noncaregivers and were highest among persons in both roles (parents-caregivers) (any adverse mental health symptoms: aOR = 5.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.1-6.2; serious suicidal ideation: aOR = 8.2, 95% CI = 6.5-10.4). These findings highlight that parents and caregivers, especially those balancing roles both as parents and caregivers, experienced higher levels of adverse mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic than adults without these responsibilities. Caregivers who had someone to rely on for support had lower odds of experiencing any adverse mental health symptoms. Additional measures are needed to improve mental health among parents, caregivers, and parents-caregivers.
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ItemP160 A trial of a position modification device for the prevention of supine sleep during pregnancy(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2021-10-07)Abstract Self-reported supine position at sleep onset during late pregnancy is related to a 2.6x increase in stillbirth risk, possibly due to the enlarged uterus compressing major blood vessels supplying the placenta. This study aimed to test the effectiveness of a pillow designed to decrease supine sleep in pregnant women. Twelve women in the third trimester of pregnancy used their own pillows for a control week and the intervention pillow for 1 week, in randomised order. Sleep position for each night of both weeks was monitored with the Night Shift Sleep Positioner, with a sleep study (WatchPat300) on the last night of each week to measure the impact of the intervention on SDB. During the control week, the women slept supine for a median of 19.9% (IQR = 11.6, 27.4) of total sleep time (TST), compared to a median of 20.4% (10.2, 31.0) TST using the intervention pillow (p = .64). Use of the intervention pillow did not impact sleep efficiency (control = 85.3% (80.7, 88.0) v. intervention = 85.2% (78.3, 89.0), p = .48). On the sleep study night, supine sleep was reduced in the intervention compared to control condition (12.9% vs. 17.7%, p = .04), but AHI did not differ (intervention = 2.6/hr (0.8, 6.7) vs. control = 1.5/hr (0.6, 3.6), p = .11). We found that the adoption of a pillow designed to discourage supine sleep was not effective in late pregnancy. Considering the reasonably high amount of supine sleep in our participants, alternative devices should be investigated.
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ItemP133 Backward Rotating Shifts are Associated with Real-Time Drowsiness During Daytime Drives in Heavy Vehicle Drivers(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2021-10-07)Abstract Purpose While 10–20% of heavy vehicle crashes (HVDs) are drowsiness-related, the contributions of subsequent shifts to chronic drowsiness in HVDs is largely unknown. Eye-blink parameters indicate driver drowsiness reliably. This study examined the association of consecutive shifts and real-time drowsiness in HVDs. Methods Habitual sleep-wake of HVDs (all males, aged 49.5 ± 8 years) was monitored objectively (Philips Actiwatch, N=15) for 5 weeks (5.75± 1.4 hours). Johns Drowsiness Score (JDS, a composite eye-blink parameter in one-min intervals) was monitored for 4 weeks in HVDs (N=14) using an infrared oculography (Optalert, Melbourne, Australia) device. We assessed the association of drowsiness events (JDS equal or larger than 2.6) with consecutive shift types via mixed linear regression models. Results Eigth consecutive shifts increased drowsiness by 1.06 times compared to 2 shifts (8.37 events/h vs 6.77 events/h, P= 0.03). Consecutive shift sequences included afternoons (9%), mornings (29%), nights (5%), mixed rotating shifts (28%), forward-rotating shifts (11%) and backward-rotating shifts (12%). Drowsiness event rates were 1.23 times greater during night consecutive shifts relative to afternoon shifts (8.37 events/h vs 6.67 events/h, P= 0.03). Backward-rotating shifts (morning-night-evening- afternoon) elevated daytime drowsiness between 10 am and 3 pm by 1.55 times (10.01 events/h vs 6.47 events/h, P= 0.016). Conclusions Regardless of the number of consecutive shifts, sequential night shifts increase real-time drowsiness in HVDs, with backward rotating shifts resulting in higher rates of drowsiness events during daytime. The interaction of schedule features should inform the work scheduling of HVDs to reduce the risk of drowsiness.
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ItemP023 Quantitative EEG analysis of polysomnography in a case of Fatal Familial Insomnia(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2021-10-07)Abstract Purpose To report on quantitative electroencephalograph (EEG) activity during polysomnography (PSG) in a rare case of confirmed Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI). Methods Sleep/wake characteristics of a 32-year-old male patient were quantitatively analysed using central EEG recordings during two PSGs (FFI-1 and FFI-2) first, for investigation of insomnia and PLMS but with no suspicion of FFI and second, 120 days later with suspected but unconfirmed FFI at the time; 89 days prior to death. PSG metrics; absolute EEG power in specified frequency bands; EEG slowing ratio of slow-to-fast frequencies ((delta + theta)/ (alpha + sigma + beta)); and sleep spindle density were calculated. Results were compared with gender and age-matched insomnia and healthy controls (two of each). Results FFI-1 and FFI-2 PSGs revealed total time in bed of 413.5 and 392 minutes, total sleep times of 208.5 and 7.5 minute, including NREM 153.0 and 2.5 minutes, and REM 55.5 and 5.0 minutes, respectively. FFI-1 had approximately 1.5 times lower slow wave activity (SWA, 0.5–4.5Hz) during N3 than insomnia and controls. FFI-1 had 2 times and 1.8 times higher slowing ratio during REM than insomnia and controls, respectively. Spindle density (per minute of NREM sleep) for FFI-1 was 0.9, compared to pair-averages of 1.2 for insomnia disorder and 4.7 for healthy controls. Conclusions PSG in FFI revealed poor sleep efficiency that severely deteriorated with disease progression. Quantitative analysis of EEG revealed lower spindle density, lower SWA in N3, and higher slowing ratio in REM, when compared to insomnia patients and healthy sleepers.
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ItemP017 Am I sleepy? – Subjective Sleepiness and Drowsy Driving: A systematic review and meta-analysis(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2021-10-07)Abstract Introduction Driving impairment due to sleep loss is a major contributor to motor vehicle crashes resulting in severe injury or fatalities. Ideally, drivers should be aware of their sleepiness and cease driving to reduce risk of a crash. However, there is little consensus on how accurately drivers can identify sleepiness, and how this relates to subsequent driving impairment. To examine whether drivers are aware of their sleepiness, we systematically reviewed the literature. Methods The research question for this review was “are drivers aware of sleepiness while driving, and to what extent does subjective sleepiness accurately reflect driving impairment?”. Our search strategy led to thirty-four simulated/naturalistic driving studies for review. We then extracted the relevant data. Correlational data were examined using meta-analysis, while predictive data were assessed via narrative review. Results Results showed that drivers were aware of sleepiness, and this was associated with both driving impairment and physiological drowsiness. Overall, subjective sleepiness was more strongly correlated (a) with ocular and EEG-based outcomes (rweighted = .70 and .73, respectively, p<.001), rather than lane position and speed outcomes (rweighted = .46 and .49, respectively, p<.001); (b) under simulated driving conditions compared to naturalistic drives; and (c) when the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale was used to measure subjective sleepiness. Lastly, high levels of sleepiness significantly predicted crash events and lane deviations. Discussion This review presents evidence that drivers are aware of sleepiness when driving, and suggests that interventions such as stopping driving when feeling ‘sleepy’ may significantly reduce crash risk.
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ItemFollow-up Survey of US Adult Reports of Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19 Pandemic, September 2020(AMER MEDICAL ASSOC, 2021-02-19)This survey study compared patterns of mental health concerns, substance use, and suicidal ideation during June and September 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic and examined at-risk demographic groups.
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ItemP132 Research in the time of COVID-19: Recruitment to a clinical trial comparing models of NIV implementation in people with MND(Oxford University Press (OUP), 2021-10-07)Abstract Introduction A pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) examining the feasibility of a new model of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) implementation was due to commence in early 2020. Based on previous research, it was anticipated that 100% of people with motor neurone disease (MND) would be eligible, 60% would consent to participate and 20 people would be randomised in five months. The aim of this report is to describe the impact of COVID-19 pandemic contingencies on trial recruitment. Methods Report of project progress, participant screening and recruitment. Results First reports of COVID-19 coincided with study commencement and changed usual healthcare delivery. Lockdowns meant telehealth substituted for face-to-face assessment, respiratory function testing was limited and/or patients were reluctant to seek medical treatment. This modified pathway impacted evaluation of diagnosis, timing of need for NIV and procedural safety, with patients then referred specifically for a single-day hospital NIV implementation to enable face-to-face multidisciplinary assessment to aid decisions. Of 81 potential participants screened in an 8-month period, 64% were ineligible for the RCT. Despite this shift in eligibility rate, 16 people with MND have been recruited as of May 2021. Conclusion The current climate has amplified the significance of this research trial; people with MND have had reduced access to face-to-face services globally and clinicians have had to quickly adapt to a changing landscape of telemedicine and remote monitoring of patients. This trial’s screening data suggest that COVID-19 hasn’t stopped people with MND being implemented on NIV, but it has altered assessment pathways.
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ItemEarly public adherence with and support for stay-at-home COVID-19 mitigation strategies despite adverse life impact: a transnational cross-sectional survey study in the United States and Australia(BMC, 2021-03-15)BACKGROUND: Governments worldwide recommended unprecedented measures to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As pressure mounted to scale back measures, understanding public priorities was critical. We assessed initial public adherence with and support for stay-at-home orders in nations and cities with different SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 death rates. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys were administered to representative samples of adults aged ≥18 years from regions with different SARS-CoV-2 prevalences from April 2-8, 2020. Regions included two nations [the United States (US-high prevalence) and Australia (AU-low prevalence)] and two US cities [New York City (NY-high prevalence) and Los Angeles (LA-low prevalence)]. Regional SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 prevalence (cumulative SARS-CoV-2 infections, COVID-19 deaths) as of April 8, 2020: US (363,321, 10,845), AU (5956, 45), NY (81,803, 4571), LA (7530, 198). Of 8718 eligible potential respondents, 5573 (response rate, 63.9%) completed surveys. Median age was 47 years (range, 18-89); 3039 (54.5%) were female. RESULTS: Of 5573 total respondents, 4560 (81.8%) reported adherence with recommended quarantine or stay-at-home policies (range of samples, 75.5-88.2%). Additionally, 29.1% of respondents screened positive for anxiety or depression symptoms (range of samples, 28.6-32.0%), with higher prevalences among those of younger age, female gender, and those in quarantine or staying at home most of the time versus those who did not report these behaviours. Despite elevated prevalences of adverse mental health symptoms and significant life disruptions, 5022 respondents (90.1%) supported government-imposed stay-at-home orders (range of samples, 88.9-93.1%). Of these, 90.8% believed orders should last at least three more weeks or until public health or government officials recommended, with support spanning the political spectrum. CONCLUSIONS: Public adherence with COVID-19 mitigation policies was highly prevalent, in both highly-affected (US, NY) and minimally-affected regions (AU, LA). Despite disruption of respondents' lives, the vast majority supported continuation of extended stay-at-home orders. Despite common support, these two countries diverged in stringent mitigation implementation, which may have contributed to subsequent outcomes. These results reveal the importance of surveillance of public support for and adherence with such policies during the COVID-19 pandemic and for future infectious disease outbreaks.