Hyoung-Sook Park

Quality of sleep and serum lipid profile in patients with restless legs syndrome

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to compare the quality of sleep with the serum lipid profile in patients who have restless legs syndrome (RLS). METHODS The data were obtained from 116 patients with RLS through questionnaires and blood sampling. RESULTS The results of this study showed correlations between lower quality of sleep and serum lipid profile (LDL Cholesterol) in patients with RLS (r=.19, p=.040). There were correlations for scores of quality of sleep from the, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) sub-region between lower subjective sleep quality and serum lipid profile (LDL Cholesterol) (r=.20, p=.026), between fewer hours of sleep duration and serum lipid profile (Total Cholesterol) (r=-.21, p=.024), and, between higher daytime dysfunction and serum lipid profile (LDL Cholesterol) (r=.42, p<.001) of patients with RLS. CONCLUSION Patients with RLS have sleep disorders with lower quality of sleep and changes in the serum lipid profile for total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. That is, patients with RLS have lower quality of sleep and dyslipidemia compared to persons without RLS. Further research is needed to monitor serum the lipid profile in early stage symptoms of midlife adult patients with RLS and especially older women.

Effects of a problem-solving counseling program to facilitate intensified walking on Koreans with type 2 diabetes.

AIM This study aimed to evaluate the immediate and long-term effects of a 12 week problem-solving (PS) counseling program to facilitate intensified walking with machinery monitoring on persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Korea. METHODS The study used a quasi-experimental design. The participants were 57 patients with diabetes from three endocrinology or internal medicine clinics in an urban city of South Korea. Moderate-intensity walking and PS counseling were recommended to both groups. The difference between the two groups was whether the intensity of the exercise was monitored by an ambulatory heart rate monitor (experimental group) or was self-regulated (comparison group). Those programs were evaluated in relation to BMI, glycemic control (blood glucose level, glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c]), a vascular complication index (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, tissue plasminogen activator [t-PA], plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 [PAI-1], Parma Cardiovascular Risk Index), and coping strategies at 3 and 6 months. RESULTS The experimental group members showed dramatic decreases in their glucose and HbA1c levels at 3 months. The values of t-PA decreased significantly at baseline, compared to at 3 months. The levels of PAI-1 continuously declined and the Parma Cardiovascular Risk Index score did not change significantly from baseline to at 3 months, but showed significant effects at 6 months. CONCLUSION A combined program of intensified walking, using a heart rate monitor, with PS counseling is more helpful to prevent complications than self-regulated exercise for persons with type 2 diabetes in Korea.