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STUDY OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine psychometric properties of the Disturbing Dream and Nightmare Severity Index (DDNSI) in individuals aged between 18 and 39. METHODS: All participants (n = 674) were asked to complete the DDNSI, including the modified Nightmare Effects Survey. Additionally, 109 participants were tested for test-retest reliability after 3 months. Among our sample, 229 (33.9%) reported having at least 1 nightmare per month. RESULTS: Internal consistency was evaluated for the total sample (Cronbach’s α = .920) and separately for individuals reporting more than once per month (Cronbach’s α = .755). Test-retest reliability after 3 months was .705. Convergent validity of the DDNSI with Nightmare Effects Survey was also satisfactory (r = .638, P < .001). Finally, exploratory factor analysis was conducted to explore the construct of the DDNSI, and results indicated that it consisted of 2 factors, nightmare frequency and nightmare distress [χ(2)(df) = 2.241(1) ∆χ(2) (∆df) = 155.575(4), Tucker-Lewis incremental fit index = .980, root mean square error of approximation (90% confidence interval) = .074 (0, .208), standardized root-mean-square residual = .011]. CONCLUSIONS: The DDNSI is a reliable measure of nightmare severity that can be used in various settings. CITATION: Lee R, Krakow B, Suh S. Psychometric properties of the Disturbing Dream and Nightmare Severity Index–Korean version. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(3):471–477.

Background: Complex insomnia, the comorbidity of chronic insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is a common sleep disorder, but the OSA component, whether presenting overtly or covertly, often goes unsuspected and undiagnosed due to a low index of suspicion. Among complex insomniacs, preliminary evidence demonstrates standard CPAP decreases insomnia severity. However, CPAP causes expiratory pressure intolerance or iatrogenic central apneas that may diminish its use. An advanced PAP mode—adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV)—may alleviate CPAP side-effects and yield superior outcomes. Methods: In a single-site protocol investigating covert complex insomnia (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02365064), a low index of suspicion for this comorbidity was confirmed by exclusion of 455 of 660 eligible patients who presented during the study period with overt OSA signs and symptoms. Ultimately, stringent inclusion/exclusion criteria to test efficacy yielded 40 adult, covert complex insomnia patients [average Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) moderate–severe 19.30 (95% CI 18.42–20.17)] who reported no definitive OSA symptoms or risks and who failed behavioral or drug therapy for an average of one decade. All 40 were diagnosed with OSA and randomized (using block randomization) to a single-blind, prospective protocol, comparing CPAP (n = 21) and ASV (n = 19). Three successive PAP titrations fine-tuned pressure settings, facilitated greater PAP use, and collected objective sleep and breathing data. Patients received 14 weeks of treatment including intensive biweekly coaching and follow-up to foster regular PAP use in order to accurately measure efficaciousness. Primary outcomes measured insomnia severity and sleep quality. Secondary outcomes measured daytime impact: OSA-induced impairment, fatigue severity, insomnia impairment, and quality of life. Performance on these seven variables was assessed using repeated measures ANCOVA to account for the multiple biweekly time points. Findings: At intake, OSA diagnosis and OSA as a cause for insomnia were denied by all 40 patients, yet PAP significantly decreased insomnia severity scores (p = 0.021 in the primary ANCOVA analysis). To quantify effect sizes, mean intake vs endpoint analysis was conducted with ASV yielding nearly twice the effects of CPAP [−13.2 (10.7–15.7), Hedges' g = 2.50 vs −9.3 (6.3–12.3), g = 1.39], and between mode effect size was in the medium-large range 0.65. Clinically, ASV led to remission (ISI

Background Sleep disorders frequently occur in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients. Chronic insomnia is a common feature of and criteria for the diagnosis of PTSD. Another sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), also occurs frequently in PTSD, and emerging research indicates OSA fuels chronic insomnia. Scant research has investigated the impact of OSA treatment on insomnia outcomes (Insomnia Severity Index, ISI) in trauma survivors. Methods OSA patients with moderately severe posttraumatic stress symptoms were studied in a retrospective chart review. Ninety-six patients who failed CPAP therapy due to expiratory pressure intolerance or complex sleep apnea or both underwent manual titration with advanced PAP modes [autobilevel (ABPAP); adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV)], which were subsequently prescribed. PAP use measured by objective data downloads divided the sample into three groups: compliant regular users (C-RU): n = 68; subthreshold users (SC-RU): n = 12; and noncompliant users (NC-MU): n = 16. The average follow-up was 11.89 ± 12.22 months. Baseline and posttreatment ISI scores were analyzed to assess residual insomnia symptoms as well as cure rates. Results The C-RU group showed significant improvements in insomnia with very large effects compared to those in the NC-MU reference group (P = 0.019). Insomnia severity significantly decreased in all three groups with large effects (C-RU, P = 0.001; SC-RU, P = 0.027; NC-MU, P = 0.007). Hours of weekly PAP use and insomnia severity were inversely correlated (P = 0.001, r = − 0.321). However, residual insomnia symptoms based on established ISI cut-offs were quite common, even among the C-RU group. Post hoc analysis showed that several categories of sedating medications reported at baseline (hypnotics, anti-epileptic, opiates) as well as actual use of any sedating medication (prescription or nonprescription) were associated with smaller insomnia improvements than those in patients not using any sedating agents. Conclusions In a retrospective, nonrandomized analysis of a select sample of sleep clinic patients with OSA and PTSD symptoms, advanced PAP therapy was associated with significant improvement in insomnia severity for both compliant and partial users. However, residual insomnia symptoms persisted, indicating that PAP therapy provides only limited treatment. RCTs are warranted to assess the effect of ABPAP and ASV modes of therapy on adherence and sleep outcomes, and their potential impact on posttraumatic stress symptoms. Treatment arms that combine PAP with CBT-I would be expected to yield the greatest potency.

Purpose Emerging evidence shows that positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) in chronic insomnia patients (proposed “complex insomnia” disorder) leads to substantial decreases in insomnia severity. Although continuous PAP (CPAP) is the pressure mode most widely researched, intolerance to fixed pressurized air is rarely investigated or described in comorbidity patients. This retrospective study examined dual pressure, autoadjusting PAP modes in chronic, complex insomnia disorder patients. Patients and methods Chronic insomnia disorder patients (mean [SD] insomnia severity index [ISI] =19.11 [3.34]) objectively diagnosed with OSA or UARS and using either autobilevel PAP device or adaptive servoventilation (ASV) device after failing CPAP therapy (frequently due to intolerance to pressurized air, poor outcomes, or emergence of CSA) were divided into PAP users (≥20 h/wk) and partial users (, Video abstract

ObjectiveAt-risk high school students, those considered to have a higher probability for academic failure or dropping out, were assessed for various sleep disorders. Effects were compared between students with and without the nightmare triad syndrome (NTS+), the sleep disorders’ cluster of frequent nightmares, insomnia disorder and suspected sleep-disordered breathing (SDB).MethodsData were gathered at a charter school for at-risk youth using: computer based surveys, physical airway exams, and mental health interviews by school social worker. Ninety-two students were enrolled, and 70 completed all study components.ResultsStudents were teenaged [17.10 (1.50) years], male (52.2%) slightly overweight [BMI 25.50 (6.41)] Hispanics (87.0%); two-thirds (65 of 92) subjectively reported a sleep problem. Frequent nightmares (39.1%), insomnia (ISI ≥ 12, 41.3%), and SDB risk (79.3%) were common. Several presumptive sleep disorders (insomnia, SDB risk, parasomnia, or nightmares) were associated with worse sleep quality and lower quality of life. Nineteen students met criteria for NTS. Compared to NTS−, NTS+ showed significantly lower quality of life (p ConclusionPrevalence of presumptive sleep disorders was high with a tendency for clusters of sleep disorders in the same individual. Students with NTS+ showed worse outcomes and reduced quality of life, mediated partially by depression and anxiety. To examine relationships between sleep disorders and mental health in at-risk adolescents, research investigations must include both subjective and objective measurements of sleep.

Information about the relative impact of stressful events across the lifespan on the mental health of refugees is needed. Cross-sectional data from a community sample of 135 Kurdish and 117 Vietnamese refugees were fit to a path model about the effects of non-war stress, war-related stress, and post-migration stress on mental health. Kurdish and Vietnamese data were generally consistent with the model. However, war-related stress produced no direct but a large indirect effect through post-migration stress on mental health in Kurds. Vietnamese data indicated a modest direct war-related stress effect but no indirect influence through post-migration stress. Different types of stressful events lead to adverse mental health of displaced refugees in a somewhat group-dependent manner. Implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are relatively common in isolation within the adult population. Data reflecting causes, prevalence, and long-term physical and psychological consequences are substantial for either condition. Less known is the prevalence of comorbidity among the two. Moreover, there is a dearth of literature explaining the biopsychosocial interactions, which likely contribute to development, maintenance, and exacerbation of symptoms when the conditions co-occur. In this chapter we review the scant literature on the comorbidity of SDB and PTSD regarding prevalence, clinical implications, and recommendations related to improved diagnostic assessment and treatment strategies.

Barry J Krakow,1–3 Jessica J Obando,2 Victor A Ulibarri,1,2 Natalia D McIver1,2 1Sleep & Human Health Institute, 2Maimonides Sleep Arts & Sciences, Albuquerque, 3Los Alamos Medical Center, Los Alamos, NM, USA Study objectives: Patients with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) manifest low adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) due to fixed, pressure-induced expiratory pressure intolerance (EPI), a subjective symptom and objective sign aggravated by anxiety sensitivity and somatosensory amplification. As advanced PAP therapy modes (ie, auto-bilevel PAP [ABPAP] or adaptive servo-ventilation [ASV]) may address these side effects, we hypothesized such treatment would be associated with decreased expiratory intolerance and increased adherence in posttraumatic stress patients with co-occurring OSA.Methods: We reviewed charts of 147 consecutive adult patients with moderately severe posttraumatic stress symptoms and objectively diagnosed OSA. All patients failed or rejected CPAP and were manually titrated on auto-adjusting, dual-pressure ABPAP or ASV modes in the sleep laboratory, a technique to eliminate flow limitation breathing events while resolving EPI. Patients were then prescribed either mode of therapy. Follow-up encounters assessed patient use, and objective data downloads (ODDs) measured adherence.Results: Of 147 charts reviewed, 130 patients were deemed current PAP users, and 102 provided ODDs: 64 used ASV and 38 used ABPAP. ODDs yielded three groups: 59 adherent per insurance conventions, 19 subthreshold compliant partial users, and 24 noncompliant. Compliance based on available downloads was 58%, notably higher than recently reported rates in PTSD patients with OSA. Among the 19 partial users, 17 patients were minutes of PAP use or small percentages of nights removed from meeting insurance compliance criteria for PAP devices.Conclusion: Research is warranted on advanced PAP modes in managing CPAP failure in PTSD patients with comorbid OSA. Subthreshold adherence constructs may inform clinical care in a patient-centric model distinct from insurance conventions. Speculatively, clinical application of this transitional zone (“subthreshold” number of hours) may increase PAP use and eventual adherence. Keywords: obstructive sleep apnea, upper airway resistance syndrome, CPAP, compliance, auto-bilevel, adaptive servo-ventilation

Although nightmares have been shown to increase the risk for suicide, less is known about the mechanisms underlying this relationship. In order to address this gap and guided by the hopelessness theory of suicide risk, we examined hopelessness and male depressive symptoms as risk factors for suicide while considering the frequency of and impairment due to nightmares. Data were collected from 172 psychiatrically hospitalized, adult patients (91 women, 81 men) with an average age of 39.15 (SD = 13.48) years. Patients were administered self-report measures of nightmare frequency/impairment, hopelessness, and male depressive symptoms, as well as undergoing a fully structured diagnostic clinical interview to determine diagnoses and suicide risk. Compared to patients with yearly or no nightmares, those with monthly or weekly nightmares reported nightmares reported higher levels of hopelessness, male depressive symptoms, and suicide risk. Male depressive symptoms significantly mediated the relation between hopelessness and suicide risk in patients who reported monthly to weekly nightmares, but not in those who reported yearly or no nightmares. Moreover, impairment due to nightmares was significantly and positively associated with male depression, but not hopelessness or suicide risk. The results also provide evidence and further understanding about possible mechanisms of emerging suicide.

Objective To measure the frequency of pharmacotherapeutic failure and its association with the diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing among patients with chronic insomnia disorder. Patients and Methods In a retrospective review of medical records from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2012, we identified an inclusive, consecutive series of 1210 patients with insomnia disorder, 899 (74.3%) of whom used sleep aids either occasionally (168 [18.7%]) or regularly (731 [81.3%]). Patients presented to a community-based sleep medicine center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with typical referral patterns: 743 (61.4%) were referred by primary care physicians, 211 (17.4%) by specialists, 117 (9.7%) by mental health professionals, and 139 (11.5%) by self-referral. Pharmacotherapeutic failure was assessed from subjective insomnia reports and a validated insomnia severity scale. Polysomnography with pressure transducer (an advanced respiratory technology not previously used in a large cohort of patients with insomnia) measured sleep-disordered breathing. Objective data yielded accuracy rates for 3 pretest screening tools used to measure risk for sleep-disordered breathing. Results Of the total sample of 1210 patients, all 899 (74.3%) who were taking over-the-counter or prescription sleep aids had pharmacotherapeutic failure. The 710 patients taking prescription drugs (79.0%) reported the most severe insomnia, the fewest sleep-associated breathing symptoms, and the most medical and psychiatric comorbidity. Of the 942 patients objectively tested (77.9%), 860 (91.3%) met standard criteria, on average, for a moderate to severe sleep-associated breathing disorder, yet pretest screening sensitivity for sleep-disordered breathing varied widely from 63.7% to 100%. Positive predictive values were high (about 90%) for all screens, but a tool commonly used in primary care misclassified 301 patients (32.0% false-negative results). Conclusion Pharmacotherapeutic failure and sleep-disordered breathing were extremely common among treatment-seeking patients with chronic insomnia disorder. Screening techniques designed from the field of sleep medicine predicted high rates for sleep-disordered breathing, whereas a survey common to primary care yielded many false-negative results. Although the relationship between insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing remains undefined, this research raises salient clinical questions about the management of insomnia in primary care before sleep center encounters.

Objective We aimed to evaluate frequency and co-occurrence of insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) symptoms and potential co-morbidity (complex insomnia). Methods A prospective self-assessment was conducted for adult patients with no prior sleep issues who presented to community-based primary care clinics for nonsleep-related complaints between November 2009 and June 2012. Results A brief sleep health survey (SHS) assessed insomnia and SDB symptoms. Of 801 patients, 660 (82.4%) reported at least one insomnia symptom, and 289 (36.1%) reported an insomnia disorder (Insomnia Severity Index [ISI] >7 and self-reported daytime impairment due to insomnia). At least one SDB symptom was reported by 478 (59.7%) patients, and 177 (22.1%) reported two or more symptoms. Co-occurrence of insomnia and SDB symptoms (minimum of one symptom each of insomnia and SDB) occurred in 50.8% of the sample. Using liberal criteria to assess potential co-morbid disorders (complex insomnia), 187 (23.4%) patients reported an insomnia disorder and at least one SDB symptom. With more stringent criteria, including only those patients with moderate or severe insomnia disorders plus two SDB symptoms, 48 patients (6.0% of the sample or 16.6% of all patients with insomnia disorders) indicated potential complex insomnia. Conclusions Co-occurrence of insomnia and SDB symptoms as well as the rate of potential complex insomnia was common among a moderately large sample of primary care patients without prior evaluations or diagnoses of sleep disorders. Clinical and research implications are discussed.

Background Sleep disturbances are among the most common symptoms of military personnel who return from deployment. The objective of our study was to determine the presence of sleep disorders in US military personnel referred for evaluation of sleep disturbances after deployment and examine associations between sleep disorders and service-related diagnoses of depression, mild traumatic brain injury, pain, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods This was a cross-sectional study of military personnel with sleep disturbances who returned from combat within 18 months of deployment. Sleep disorders were assessed by clinical evaluation and polysomnogram with validated instruments to diagnose service-related illnesses. Results Of 110 military personnel included in our analysis, 97.3% were men (mean age, 33.6 ± 8.0 years; mean BMI, 30.0 ± 4.3 kg/m2), and 70.9% returned from combat within 12 months. Nearly one-half (47.3%) met diagnostic criteria for two or more service-related diagnoses. Sleep disorders were diagnosed in 88.2% of subjects; 11.8% had a normal sleep evaluation and served as control subjects. Overall, 62.7% met diagnostic criteria for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and 63.6% for insomnia. The exclusive diagnoses of insomnia and OSA were present in 25.5% and 24.5% of subjects, respectively; 38.2% had comorbid insomnia and OSA. Military personnel with comorbid insomnia and OSA were significantly more likely to meet criteria for depression (P Conclusions Comorbid insomnia and OSA is a frequent diagnosis in military personnel referred for evaluation of sleep disturbances after deployment. This diagnosis, which is difficult to treat, may explain the refractory nature of many service-related diagnoses.

Objective Evidence indicates that behavioral or drug therapy may not target underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms for chronic insomnia, possibly due to previously unrecognized high rates (30%-90%) of sleep apnea in chronic insomnia patients. Although treatment studies with positive airway pressure (PAP) demonstrate decreased severity of chronic sleep maintenance insomnia in patients with co-occurring sleep apnea, sleep-onset insomnia has not shown similar results. We hypothesized advanced PAP technology would be associated with decreased sleep-onset insomnia severity in a sample of predominantly psychiatric patients with comorbid sleep apnea. Methods We reviewed charts of 74 severe sleep-onset insomnia patients seen from March 2011 to August 2015, all meeting American Academy of Sleep Medicine Work Group criteria for a chronic insomnia disorder and all affirming behavioral and psychological origins for insomnia (averaging 10 of 18 indicators/patient), as well as averaging 2 or more psychiatric symptoms or conditions: depression (65.2%), anxiety (41.9%), traumatic exposure (35.1%), claustrophobia (29.7%), panic attacks (28.4%), and posttraumatic stress disorder (20.3%). All patients failed continuous or bilevel PAP and were manually titrated with auto-adjusting PAP modes (auto-bilevel and adaptive-servo ventilation). At 1-year follow-up, patients were compared through nonrandom assignment on the basis of a PAP compliance metric of > 20 h/wk (56 PAP users) versus < 20 h/wk (18 partial PAP users). Results PAP users showed significantly greater decreases in global insomnia severity (Hedges' g = 1.72) and sleep-onset insomnia (g = 2.07) compared to partial users (g = 1.04 and 0.91, respectively). Both global and sleep-onset insomnia severity decreased below moderate levels in PAP users compared to partial users whose outcomes persisted at moderately severe levels. Conclusions In a nonrandomized controlled retrospective study, advanced PAP technology (both auto-bilevel and adaptive servo-ventilation) were associated with large decreases in insomnia severity for sleep-onset insomnia patients who strongly believed psychological factors caused their sleeplessness. PAP treatment of sleep-onset insomnia merits further investigation.

Research on subthreshold compliance with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy in sleep apnea patients may inform clinical sleep medicine practice. We retrospectively assessed compliant and subthreshold compliant sleep apnea subjects to test whether regular but fewer hours of PAP use would demonstrate clinically meaningful improvements and correlate with outcomes.A chart review was conducted of 113 consecutive sleep apnea subjects, naive to treatment, who completed a titration study and filled a PAP therapy prescription. Objective data categorized subjects into 3 groups: compliant, subthreshold compliant, and minimal use. Outcome measures assessed changes in insomnia, sleepiness, and nocturia on average 7 months from PAP initiation. Correlation coefficients analyzed dose-response relationships between hours of use and changes in outcomes.Among 113 PAP attempters, 104 (92%) were current users. Among 93 users with objective data, regular (consistent) PAP users included 59 compliant and 21 subthreshold compliant, and 13 subjects were minimal users. Compliant users averaging 6.6 ± 1.3 h/night and 42.0 ± 12.1 h/week showed the largest outcome improvements (all P.05) with moderate to large effects for insomnia (d = 0.94), sleepiness (d = 0.58), and nocturia (d = 0.56). Subthreshold users averaging 4.1 ± 0.7 h/night but only 18.0 ± 5.6 h/week showed a large effect for insomnia (d = 0.76, P = .03) and nonsignificant, small effects for sleepiness (d = 0.38) and nocturia (d = 0.22). Correlation coefficients showed a trend for decrease in insomnia (P = .08; r = .20) and a significant decrease in nocturia (P = .034; r = 0.25), each in association with hours of PAP use.In a clinical sample, 86% of sleep apnea subjects regularly used PAP, but adherence was 63%. Regular users showed clinical treatment effects and potential dose-response relationships, suggesting that the term use offers advantages over the term adherence. Currently, subthreshold compliance may not merit insurance coverage in many countries, an issue affecting many sleep apnea patients.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was two-fold: first, we examined associations between suicidal ideation, maladaptive sleep patterns and abnormal sleep behaviors in a sleep center population, an understudied population in the domain of suicide research; and then, we explored whether significant associations remained after accounting for the possible influence of depressive symptoms. METHOD: Data were analyzed from intake information obtained from 1584 adult patients presenting at a community-based private sleep medical center. The sample was parsed into a Suicidal Ideation (SI) group (N=211) and No Suicidal Ideation (NSI) group (N=1373). Comparisons of these groups were made on measures of self-reported sleep complaints, habits, and behaviors, suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, and associated psychopathology. RESULTS: Approximately 13% of participants reported suicidal ideation. Clinically significant suicidal ideation was present in 4.5% of the sample. Compared to the NSI group, the SI group showed a pervasive pattern of significantly greater frequency or severity of sleep problems in areas of insomnia, nightmares and other parasomnia behaviors, poor sleep quality, and sleep-related psychophysiologic conditioning as well as worse sleep-related impairment and quality of life. Several relationships were significant after controlling for depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION: Suicidal ideation was consistently associated with a broad array of sleep complaints, even when controlling for level of depressive symptoms. As these self-reported sleep disturbances are treatable sleep disorders, future research should examine the efficacy of sleep and behavioral medicine for reducing the risk of suicidal ideation. Language: en

This consensus paper provides an overview of the state of the art in research on the aetiology and treatment of nightmare disorder and outlines further perspectives on these issues. It presents a definition of nightmares and nightmare disorder followed by epidemiological findings, and then explains existing models of nightmare aetiology in traumatized and non‐traumatized individuals. Chronic nightmares develop through the interaction of elevated hyperarousal and impaired fear extinction. This interplay is assumed to be facilitated by trait affect distress elicited by traumatic experiences, early childhood adversity and trait susceptibility, as well as by elevated thought suppression and potentially sleep‐disordered breathing. Accordingly, different treatment options for nightmares focus on their meaning, on the chronic repetition of the nightmare or on maladaptive beliefs. Clinically, knowledge of healthcare providers about nightmare disorder and the delivery of evidence‐based interventions in the healthcare system is discussed. Based on these findings, we highlight some future perspectives and potential further developments of nightmare treatments and research into nightmare aetiology.

Current screening for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) emphasizes self-reported snoring and other breathing symptoms. Nocturia, a symptom with a precise pathophysiological link to sleep apnea, has not been assessed as a screening tool for this common disorder of sleep respiration. In a large sample of adults presenting to area sleep centers, we aimed to determine the predictive power of nocturia for OSA and compare findings with other markers of OSA commonly used to screen for this disease.This was a retrospective chart review. A consecutive sample of 1,007 adult patients seeking treatment at two sleep centers in New Mexico completed detailed medical and sleep history questionnaires and completed diagnostic polysomnography testing. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of nocturia, snoring, high body mass index, sex, and age for OSA were determined. Hierarchical linear regression determined unique variance contribution to the apnea-hypopnea index, the objective measure of sleep apnea severity.The results are as follows: sensitivities--snoring, 82.6% and nocturia, 84.8%; specificities--snoring, 43.0% and nocturia, 22.4%; PPVs--snoring, 84.7% and nocturia, 80.6%; and NPVs--snoring, 39.6% and nocturia, 27.9%. With hierarchical linear regression, patient-reported nocturia frequency predicted apnea-hypopnea index (OSA severity) above and beyond body mass index, sex, age, and self-reported snoring (P0.0001).Nocturia appears comparable to snoring as a screening tool for OSA in patients presenting to a sleep medical center. Research in urology and primary care clinics is needed to definitively clarify the use of nocturia as a screening instrument for obstructive sleep apnea.

The aim of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on nightmare frequency and to determine which kind of CBT is the most effective treatment. A systematic literature search was carried out in PsychInfo and PubMed articles published on or before May 1, 2008. The inclusion criteria were: nightmare treatment study, use of nonpharmacological treatment, not a qualitative case study, randomized-controlled trial (RCT). After selection, 12 peer-reviewed studies about 9 RCTs remained (2 follow-up studies and one displaying preliminary results). Several interventions have been reviewed including, recording one's nightmares, relaxation, exposure, and techniques of cognitive restructuring. The 12 evaluated articles varied in quality, and none fulfilled CONSORT guidelines. All articles used nightmare frequency as the primary dependent variable, and all found significant in-group differences (pre vs post) for intervention or placebo (range d = 0.7–2.9). Five studies were able to find a significant group effect for the intervention compared to a waiting list control group. Only one study found significant differences between 2 intervention groups. Nightmare-focused CBT (exposure and imagery rehearsal therapy [IRT]) revealed better treatment outcomes than indirect CBT (relaxation, recording). IRT and exposure showed no meaningful differences, but only one RCT directly compared both techniques. Three different research groups demonstrated the effects of exposure, but only one group showed the effect of IRT. Thus, RCTs that compare IRT with exposure by independent research groups are much needed. Citation: Lancee J; Spoormaker VI; Krakow B; van den Bout J. A systematic review of cognitive-behavioral treatment for nightmares: toward a well-established treatment. J Clin Sleep Med 2008;4(5):475–480.

In this article, the authors describe the properties of the Comprehensive Trauma Inventory-104 (CTI-104), developed and designed empirically to improve assessment of traumatic war-related events. The mean number of events reported by 252 community dwelling Kurdish and Vietnamese refugees was 32 (SD = 27) out of the 104 items. Internal and test-retest reliability was excellent, and the validity of the CTI-104 as a measure of war trauma was supported by its high correlation with standard measures of known outcomes of trauma. The CTI-104 is reliable and valid, and assesses a broader range of traumatic war-related events in a broader range of refugees than currently available instruments.

Previous research has demonstrated an association between suicidality and sleep, suggesting that sleep disturbances may exacerbate mood dysregulation in participants suffering from mood disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of sleep disturbances and insomnia on depression and suicidality in a nontreatment seeking sample of college students. Results indicated that insomnia and nightmares were significant predictors of symptoms of depression, while only nightmares significantly predicted suicidal ideation. Further analysis indicated that participants with elevated scores on insomnia, nightmares, or both experienced differing levels of depression and suicidal ideation. Future directions and treatment implications are discussed.

Problems with nightmares are reported by a sizable proportion of individuals with a history of trauma and by approximately 5% to 8% of the general population. Chronic nightmares may represent a primary sleep disorder rather than a symptom of a psychiatric disorder, and direct targeting of nightmares is a feasible clinical approach to the problem. Of the treatments proposed, imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) has received the most empirical support. An up-to-date account of this cognitive-imagery approach shows how to treat nightmares during 4 roughly 2-hr sessions. The main points covered in each therapy session and their underlying rationale are presented. Dismantling protocols are suggested to discern active ingredients of IRT and to develop flexible applications based on patients' needs.

Exposure, abreaction, and mastery have been proposed as the therapeutic processes of nightmare (NM) reduction. Imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) effectively reduces NMs but involves minimal exposure and abreaction. The authors investigated the use of mastery in the scripting of new dreams (NDs) elaborated during IRT. NM an dN D reports were collected from 44 female sexual assault survivors with chronic NMs during their initial application of IRT. Mastery was assessed with a standardized dream coding system and a multidimensional mastery scale. NDs contained significantly fewer negative elements and more occurrences of positive elements and mas

Eight months after the Cerro Grande Fire, 78 evacuees seeking treatment for posttraumatic sleep disturbances were assessed for chronic nightmares, psychophysiological insomnia, and sleep-disordered breathing symptoms. Within this sample, 50% of participants were tested objectively for sleep-disordered breathing; 95% of those tested screened positive for sleep-disordered breathing. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that these three sleep disorders accounted for 37% of the variance in posttraumatic stress symptoms, and each sleep disorder was significantly and independently associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms severity. The only systematic variable associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms of avoidance was sleep-disordered breathing. The findings suggest that three common sleep disorders relate to posttraumatic stress symptoms in a more complex manner than explained by the prevailing psychiatric paradigm, which conceptualizes sleep disturbances in PTSD merely as secondary symptoms of psychiatric distress.

Using American Academy of Sleep Medicine research criteria, sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) was assessed in a pilot study of 187 sexual assault survivors with posttraumatic stress symptoms. Nightmares, sleep quality, distress, and quality of life were also assessed along with historical accounts of prior treatments for sleep complaints. Presumptive SDB diagnoses were established for 168 patients. Twenty-one of 168 underwent sleep testing, and all met objective SDB diagnostic criteria. There were no clinically meaningful differences in age, body-mass index, sleep quality, distress, or quality of life measures between 21 confirmed SDB cases and 147 suspected cases not tested. Compared with 19 women without SDB, 168 women with diagnosed or suspected SDB reported significantly worse nightmares, sleep quality, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and impaired quality of life. Despite suffering from sleep problems for an average of 20 years, which had not responded to repeated use of psychotropic medications or psychotherapy, few of these women had been referred to sleep specialists. SDB appears widespread among sexual assault survivors seeking help for nightmares. Research is needed to clarify the associations among SDB, distress, and physical and mental health impairment in trauma patients.

Sexual assault survivors with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were assessed for frequency of nightmares, measured retrospectively on the Nightmare Frequency Questionnaire (NFQ) and prospectively on nightmare dream logs (NLOG). Retrospective frequency was extremely high, averaging occurrences every other night and an estimated number of nightmares greater than five per week. Test-retest reliability data on the NFQ yielded weighted kappa coefficients of .85 (95% CI, .74-.95) for nights and .90 (95% CI, .83-.97) for nightmares. Correlations between retrospective and prospective nightmare frequencies ranged between .53 (P = .001) for nights and .63 (P = .001) for nightmares. Correlations between frequency and distress measures (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress) yielded coefficients ranging from (r = .28-.53). Compared with intrusive, cumbersome and time-consuming prospective measurements, the NFQ appears reliable, convenient, and equally useful in assessing nightmare frequency in a group of sexual assault survivors. Nightmare frequency, prevalence, distress and impairment are discussed.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) are common disorders, but limited data address their co-morbidity. Emerging research indicates PTSD and SDB may co-occur more frequently than expected and may impact clinical outcomes. This review describes historical developments that first raised suspicions for a co-morbid relationship between PTSD and SDB, including barriers to the recognition and diagnosis of this co-morbidity. Objective diagnostic data from polysomnography studies in PTSD patients reveal widely varying prevalence rates for co-morbidity (0-90%). Use of standard, recommended technology (nasal cannula pressure transducer) versus older, less reliable technology (thermistor/thermocouple) appears to have influenced objective data acquisition and therefore SDB rates in sleep studies on PTSD patients. Studies using higher quality respiratory sensors demonstrated the highest prevalence of SDB in PTSD patients. Clinical relevance, theoretical models and research recommendations are discussed. The lack of widely acknowledged, tested, or proven explanatory models and pathophysiological mechanisms to understand the relationship between these two disorders may prove formidable barriers to further investigations on prevalence and clinical relevance, albeit both conditions are associated with waking or sleeping hyperarousal activity, which may inform future studies.

Objective: Insomnia and nightmares are perceived as secondary phenomena in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Scant treatment research has targeted these two sleep disturbances. This study reports on an open-label trial of cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia and disturbing dreams in crime victims with PTSD. The relationship among nightmares, sleep disturbances, and PTSD symptoms is discussed. Method: Sixty-two participants completed a 10-hour group treatment consisting of imagery rehearsal for nightmares and sleep hygiene, stimulus control, and sleep restriction for insomnia. Nightmare frequency, sleep quality, sleep impairment, and ratings for PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms were assessed at baseline and at the 3-month follow-up. Results: All measures demonstrated improvement that was roughly equivalent to changes in clinical severity from severe to moderate for sleep quality, sleep impairment, and nightmare frequency, from borderline severe to borderline moderate for PTSD symptoms, and from extremely severe to borderline severe for anxiety and depression symptoms. Conclusions: In this uncontrolled study, successful treatment for insomnia and nightmares in crime victims was associated with improvement in symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Participants with clinical improvements in PTSD symptoms demonstrated significantly greater improvement in sleep quality and nightmare frequency than those whose PTSD symptoms did not improve.

Purpose: To evaluate imagery rehearsal therapy for the treatment of chronic nightmares in a sample of adolescent girls. Methods: Adolescent girls ranging in age from 13 to 18 years were recruited from the Wyoming Girls School in Sheridan, Wyoming (treatment group, n=9; control group, n=10). These girls had previously suffered a high prevalence of unwanted sexual experiences in childhood and adolescence, and thus many suffered from nightmares, sleep complaints, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Imagery rehearsal therapy was provided in a 1-day (6-h) workshop. Imagery rehearsal consists of three steps, all of which are performed in the waking state: (a) select a nightmare, (b) "change the nightmare any way you wish," and (c) rehearse the images of the new version ("new dream") 5 to 20 min each day. Control participants received no intervention. Results: At baseline, these girls had been suffering from nightmares, on average, for 4.5 years, and they reported experiencing 20 nightmares per month, which occurred at a frequency of at least one bad dream every other night. At 3 months, self-reported, retrospectively assessed nightmare frequency measured in nights per month decreased 57% ( p = .01, d = 1.4) and measured in nightmares per month decreased 71% ( p = .01, d = 1.7) in the treatment group, compared with no significant changes in the control group. No significant changes were noted for sleep and posttraumatic stress disorder measures in either group. Conclusion: Imagery rehearsal therapy was an effective treatment option for chronic nightmares in this adjudicated adolescent population.

Background: Sleep disturbance in posttraumatic stress disorder is very common. However, no previous posttraumatic stress disorder studies systematically examined sleep breathing disturbances, which might influence nightmares, insomnia, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Methods: Forty-four consecutive crime victims with nightmares and insomnia underwent standard polysomnography coupled with a nasal pressure transducer to measure airflow limitation diagnostic of obstructive sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome. Results: Forty of 44 participants tested positive on objective sleep studies based on conservative respiratory disturbance indices of more than 15 events per hour; 22 patients suffered from obstructive sleep apnea and 18 suffered from upper airway resistance syndrome. Conclusions: In an uncontrolled study, insomnia and sleep-disordered breathing were extremely prevalent in this small and select sample of crime victims. Research is needed to study 1) prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in other posttraumatic stress disorder populations using appropriate controls and nasal pressure transducers and 2) effects of sleep treatment on posttraumatic stress symptoms in trauma survivors with comorbid obstructive sleep apnea or upper airway resistance syndrome. In the interim, some posttraumatic stress disorder patients may benefit from sleep medicine evaluations.

Objective : To assess the impact of treatment for co-morbid sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) on patients with nightmares and post-traumatic stress. Methods : Twenty-three chronic nightmare sufferers (15 with post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) who also suffered co-morbid SDB (obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, n =16; upper airway resistance syndrome, UARS, n =7) completed a telephone interview, on average, 21 months after having been offered treatment for SDB at a university sleep disorders clinic. Results : At follow-up, 14 reported maintaining treatment (Treatment Group) and 9 reported discontinuing treatment (No-Treatment Group). More patients in the Treatment Group reported improvement in sleep (93% vs. 33%) and in daytime well being (93% vs. 33%) compared with those in the No-Treatment group. The Treatment Group reported a median improvement in nightmares of 85% compared with a median 10% worsening in the No-Treatment Group. In the PTSD subset ( n =15), nine in the Treatment Group reported a median 75% improvement in PTSD symptoms whereas six in the No-Treatment Group reported a median 43% worsening. Conclusion : In this small sample of patients, treatment of SDB was associated with improvements in nightmares and PTSD. Relationships between nightmares, PTSD and SDB are discussed.

The role of sleep in psychiatric illness in general, and depression and suicidality in particular, is poorly understood and has not been well researched despite the pervasiveness of sleep complaints in these conditions. As an exploratory, hypothesis-generating study, female sexual assault survivors with posttraumatic stress disorder (n = 153) who had enrolled in a nightmare-treatment program were assessed for subjectively determined sleep breathing and sleep movement disorders. Diagnoses of potential disorders were based on clinical practice parameters and research algorithms from the field of sleep disorders medicine. Potential sleep breathing and sleep movement disorders were present in 80% of the participants (n = 123) and included three subgroups: sleep-disordered breathing only (n = 23); sleep movement disorder only (n = 45); and both sleep disorders (n = 55). Based on the HamiltonDepression Rating Scale and Suicide subscale, participants with potential sleep disorders suffered greater depression (Cohen's d = .73-.96; p < .01) and greater suicidality (Cohen's d = .57-.78; p < .05) in comparison to participants without potential sleep disorders. The group with both sleep disorders suffered from the most severe depression and suicidality. A provisional hypothesis is formulated that describes how sleep disorders may exacerbate depression and suicidality through the effects of chronic sleep fragmentation.

A descriptive, hypothesis-generating study was performed with 156 female sexual-assault survivors who suffered from insomnia, nightmares, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They completed 2 self-report sleep questionnaires to assess the potential presence of intrinsic sleep disorders. Seventy-seven percent of the sample (120 of 156) endorsed additional sleep complaints, besides their insomnia symptoms, that indicate the potential presence of sleep-disordered breathing ([SDB] 81 of 156, 52%) and sleep-related movement disorders ([SMD] 94 of 156, 60%). The potential for SDB was strongly correlated with the body mass index (BMI), an increase in arousal symptoms, and greater total PTSD severity. In some sexual-assault survivors, the relationship between sleeplessness and posttraumatic stress may be caused or exacerbated by intrinsic sleep disorders, and not be solely a function of psychophysiological insomnia--the traditional diagnostic term usually offered to explain the sleep problems associated with PTSD. Prevalence studies that use objective diagnostic evaluations such as polysomnography (PSG) are needed to test these hypotheses.

An eighteen month follow-up of chronic nightmare sufferers treated with imagery rehearsal, a cognitive-behavioral method, demonstrated significant and clinically meaningful decreases in nightmare frequency. Sixty-eight percent of subjects decreased their nightmares below criteria for a “Chronic Nightmare Disorder”. Significant improvement was also noted for sleep quality and daytime anxiety. The findings support the theory that nightmares may be clinically conceptualized as a primary sleep disorder in some chronic sufferers.

Adaptive Servo-Ventilation Therapy in a Case Series of Patients with Co-morbid Insomnia and Sleep Apnea Study objectives: The study measured the effects and use of adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy among insomnia patients with co-morbid sleep-disordered breathing (complex insomnia) who failed standard positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. Methods: A chart review was conducted on 56 consecutive patients with complex insomnia and self-reported anxiety or psychiatric distress to compare outcomes from their use of standard PAP therapy with their use of ASV. Measurements included polysomnographic changes in breathing events, sleep stages, sleep continuity markers, and adherence data downloads. Results: On standard PAP titrations, expiratory pressure intolerance and central apneas were highly prevalent, yielding a diagnosis of or subthreshold criteria for complex sleep apnea, after which patients received ASV therapy. Compared to standard PAP, ASV significantly improved objective breathing event indices. ASV also was associated with increased sleep efficiency, REM% sleep, and REM sleep consolidation as well as decreased awakenings, arousals, and time awake during the night. Among 39 of 43 current ASV users, adherence was significantly greater for nightly use and hours per night compared to prior use of standard PAP. Conclusions: Fifty-six complex insomnia patients failed standard PAP therapy and developed complex sleep apnea. ASV therapy was associated with improved sleep quality and increased device usage in this select sample.

Approximately 5–8 % of the general population report problems with nightmares, and a sizeable proportion of individuals exposed to a traumatic event will experience frequent nightmares. Chronic nightmares can accompany a broad range of clinical conditions but may also occur in otherwise well-functioning individuals. Targeting nightmares directly can be a practical and valuable way of approaching the problem. A range of cognitive-behavioral techniques have been shown to be effective at alleviating nightmares and improvements can be achieved rather rapidly and maintained over time. Pharmacological options also exist, particularly in regards to posttraumatic stress disorder-related nightmares. A clinical vignette is presented to highlight assessment and treatment considerations.

Background The cause of nocturnal awakenings in patients with chronic insomnia is rarely researched. This study prospectively assessed the etiology of nocturnal awakenings (subjectively and objectively) among patients with insomnia at a private, community-based sleep medical center. Methods Twenty adult patients with chronic insomnia enrolled between April 2008 and February 2010 met diagnostic criteria for an insomnia disorder, never previously visited a sleep specialist or underwent sleep testing, and reported no classic sleep disordered breathing symptoms. Patients completed validated scales for insomnia, sleepiness, impairment, anxiety, depression, and quality of life, a qualitative interview to assess subjective reasons for awakenings, and a diagnostic sleep study to objectively assess awakenings and their precipitants. Results Subjective and objective data showed clinically meaningful insomnia, primarily sleep maintenance insomnia. The most common self-reported reasons for awakenings were: uncertain cause (50%), nightmares (45%), nocturia (35%), bedroom distractions (20%), or pain (15%). No patient identified breathing symptoms as a cause. Objectively, 531 awakenings were observed in the total sample, and 478 (90%) were preceded by sleep breathing events (apnea, hypopnea, or respiratory effort-related event). Fifty-three awakenings were caused by other factors (independent leg jerks [7], spontaneous [14], and sleep that was laboratory-induced [32]). Thirty awakenings ≥ 5 min-a duration sufficient to predispose toward an insomnia episode-were each preceded by a breathing event. Conclusions Among patients with insomnia with no classic sleep breathing symptoms and therefore low probability of a sleep breathing disorder, most of their awakenings were precipitated by a medical condition (sleep disordered breathing), which contrasted sharply with their perceptions about their awakenings

Time monitoring behavior (TMB) commonly occurs among insomnia patients, often leads to frustration about sleeplessness, and perpetuates insomnia symptoms. Few studies have explored relationships between time monitoring and insomnia, and none have studied the potential relationships between insomnia, TMB, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PSSs). In this retrospective chart review of 1078 patients seeking care at a sleep medical center, the patients presented with one of three chief sleep complaints (poor sleep quality, 51%; sleep-disordered breathing, 26%; and insomnia, 24%), and 32% reported moderate to severe PSSs. Both insomnia and time monitoring severity were greater in the 350 patients with PSSs compared with the 728 patients with minimal or no such symptoms. Insomnia and time monitoring severity correlated significantly with total posttraumatic stress scores and most strongly with the arousal subscale. Research on interventions to treat TMB may inform relationships between insomnia and posttraumatic stress.