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An Evaluation of the Neuroendocrine Response to Sleep in Pediatric Burn Patients
Author(s) -
Gottschlich Michele M.,
Khoury Jane,
Warden Glenn D.,
Kagan Richard J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.935
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1941-2444
pISSN - 0148-6071
DOI - 10.1177/0148607108325180
Subject(s) - medicine , melatonin , hormone , polysomnography , endocrinology , epinephrine , crossover study , rapid eye movement sleep , sleep stages , anesthesia , placebo , alternative medicine , apnea , eye movement , pathology , ophthalmology
Introduction: Previous work demonstrated reduced stage 3+4 and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep following burn injury. This study evaluated the hormonal effects of drug intervention on measures of endocrine status. A secondary objective examined the relationship between hormones and sleep stage distribution. Methods: Forty patients 3–18 years of age with a mean percent total body surface area burn of 50.1 ± 2.9 were randomly assigned to zolpidem or haloperidol utilizing a blinded crossover design. Polysomnography was performed 6 nights, 3/week over 2 weeks. Each week's first night of monitoring was conducted without medication, serving as a baseline. Hormonal levels (epinephrine, norepinephrine, growth hormone, melatonin, dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], serotonin, cortisol) were obtained at 0600 h each study day. Results: Both drugs were associated with increased DHEA levels ( P < .03); no other hormones were affected by medication. Significant inverse correlation was observed between REM sleep and epinephrine ( r = –.34, P = .004) and norepinephrine levels ( r = –.45, P = .02). A positive relationship existed between serotonin and sleep stage 3+4 ( r = 0.24, P = .01) and REM ( r = 0.48, P = .01). No other significant associations were identified between hormones and sleep. Conclusions: This work characterizes the relationship between sleep deprivation and select endocrine parameters postburn. Drug interventions utilized in this study were either ineffective or insufficient in modulating improved hormonal response. Significance of zolpidem's and haloperidol's effect on serum levels of DHEA is unclear. The inverse correlation of epinephrine with REM may suggest that hypermetabolism associated with burns is partly due to lack of REM sleep. Questions remain regarding the effects of sleep deprivation on metabolism and clinical outcome.