2, 3 The NC prevalence increased after the H1N1 infection and vaccine. The prevalence of narcolepsy ranges from 0.02% to 0.05% in European and North American populations. 1 The frequent comorbidities of NC include obesity, restless legs syndrome (RLS), periodic limb movement syndrome (PLMS), depressive mood, and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Narcolepsy with cataplexy (NC) is a rare neurological disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) with irresistible sleep attacks and cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle tone triggered by emotions), associated sometimes with other abnormal rapid eye movement (REM) manifestations such as hypnagogic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), and disturbed nocturnal sleep. These differences should be considered to ensure a prompt diagnosis. ConclusionĪt time of NC diagnosis, children have more frequent obesity, night eating, parasomnia, sleep talking, drunkenness, and ADHD symptoms than adults, even if sleepiness and cataplexy do not differ. The body mass index ( z-score) was correlated with OAHI ( r = .32). No between-group differences were found at the multiple sleep latency test. Obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (OAHI) was lower in children with higher mean and minimal oxygen saturation than in adults. Quality of life was essentially impacted by depressive feelings in both children and adults. There was no difference between groups for insomnia and fatigue scores. However, adults had lower quality of life than children. Depressive feelings affected not differently children (24%) and adults (32%). Children scored higher than adults at the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) scale. The frequency of obesity (54% vs 17%), night eating (29% vs 7%), parasomnia (89% vs 43%), sleep talking (80% vs 34%), and sleep drunkenness (69% vs 24%) were higher in children than in adults, the frequency of sleep paralysis was lower (20% vs 55%) but the frequency of cataplexy and the severity of sleepiness were not different.

The clinical and sleep measures were compared between patients diagnosed before (46 children, median age: 12 year old) and after (46 adults, median age: 28.5 year old) 18 years of age.

Methodsĭe novo patients with NC diagnosis completed a standardized questionnaire and interview, followed by a sleep study. To compare symptoms and sleep characteristics in patients diagnosed with narcolepsy-cataplexy (NC) before and after the age of 18 years.

Cataplexy definition