Frontiers in Neurology (Aug 2018)

Physical Activity and Sleep/Wake Behavior, Anthropometric, and Metabolic Profile in Pediatric Narcolepsy Type 1

  • Marco Filardi,
  • Fabio Pizza,
  • Fabio Pizza,
  • Elena Antelmi,
  • Elena Antelmi,
  • Paolo Pillastrini,
  • Vincenzo Natale,
  • Giuseppe Plazzi,
  • Giuseppe Plazzi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00707
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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Objectives: Regular physical activity is routinely recommended in children and adolescents suffering from narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), but controlled studies analyzing its influence on sleep/wake behavior, metabolic, and anthropometric profile in pediatric NT1 are lacking.Methods: Fifty consecutive drug-naïve NT1 children and adolescents were assessed through actigraphic, clinical, and metabolic evaluations. Patients were compared with respect to their engagement in leisure-time physical activities (LTPA): patients engaged in LTPA (n = 30) and patients not engaged (No-LTPA, n = 20), respectively.Results: LTPA patients presented lower BMI, with different BMI categories distribution and higher HDL cholesterol, when compared with No-LTPA subjects. Increased night-sleep duration, higher sleep quality, and reduction of nap frequency were documented through actigraphy in LTPA subjects. Subjective sleepiness, as measured by ESS-CHAD, was also lower in LTPA subjects while cataplexy frequency proved similar between the two groups.Discussion: In pediatric NT1 patients, regular engagement in LTPA is associated with significant differences on sleepiness, anthropometric and metabolic profile and objectively assessed sleep/wake behavior. Engagement in LTPA is beneficial and should be strongly encouraged in pediatric NT1 patients.

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