The Month-of-Birth Pattern In Narcolepsy is Moderated by Cataplexy Severity and May Be Independent of HLA-DQB1*0602

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-15-2004

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Objectives: A March peak and a September trough in the birth pattern of narcolepsy patients with clear-cut cataplexy was recently. reported: The objectives of the present study were to determine whether the month-of-birth pattern Would (a) vary with the presence and severity of cataplexy and (b) differ for patients positive and negative for HLA-DQB1*0602. Design: Cross-sectional survey with data obtained from the clinical trials assessing the safety and efficacy of modafinil in the treatment of. narcolepsy. Setting: Sleep clinics throughout the United States. Patients: A group of 530 narcolepsy patients diagnosed based on the International Classification of Sleep Disorders using clinical histories, nocturnal polysomnography, and Multiple Sleep Latency Tests. Interventions: NA. Measurements and Results: A surplus of March births and a fall-off in September. births was found in narcolepsy relative to the general papulation. This finding was only observed when cataplexy was moderate or severe. The month-of-birth pattern teas similar for HLA-DQB1*0602 positive and negative patients. A March birth and HLA-DQB1*0602 positivity were independent risk factors in a logistic regression analysis. Conclusions: Environmental events during development stay influence narcolepsy severity or the likelihood of developing the disk.

Publication Title

Sleep

Volume

27

Issue

8

First Page

1471

Last Page

1475

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