Forty three drug-free AD patients and twenty two healthy controls were evaluated. All subjects underwent two consecutive full-night polysomnography. Their daytime sleepiness was assessed by Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Serum levels of IL-1尾 and TNF-伪 were measured by enzyme linked immunoassays.
AD patients showed lower sleep efficiency, more awakenings and less slow wave sleep (SWS). IL-1尾 was detectable only in two AD patients. Serum TNF-伪 concentrations did not differ significantly between AD patients and controls. When AD patients were classified as AD patients with daytime sleepiness (n = 20, ESS > 10) or AD patients without daytime sleepiness (n = 23, ESS < 10) according to their ESS scores, serum levels of TNF-伪 was significantly higher in AD patients with daytime sleepiness than that in those without daytime sleepiness or controls (32.7 卤 17.9 vs 5.2 卤 2.4, p < 0.05; 40.9 卤 22.3 vs 5.7 卤 2.2, p < 0.05). Serum level of TNF-伪 was significantly correlated with ESS score.
These data indicate that daytime sleepiness in mild and moderate AD patients is associated with elevation of serum TNF-伪 concentrations.