A Simple Solution for Chronic Insomnia
A Simple Solution for Chronic Insomnia
This is the Medscape Neurology Minute. I am Dr. Alan Jacobs. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center studying chronic insomnia in older adults have published a study comparing the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia vs an information control condition. They randomly assigned 79 individuals with chronic insomnia and common comorbidities recruited from the community and one primary care clinic to either brief behavioral treatment for insomnia or printed educational material. The individualized behavioral instructions consisted of 2 intervention sessions and 2 telephone calls. A nurse clinician delivered both interventions. The primary outcome was a 4-week treatment response based on sleep questionnaires and diaries. Secondary outcomes included self-reported symptoms and sleep measures, sleep diaries, actigraphy, and polysomnography. A treatment response and the proportion of participants without insomnia were significantly higher for the behavioral treatment [group] than for the informational control group. No differences were found for subgroups according to hypnotic or antidepressant use, sleep apnea, or recruitment source. The behavioral treatment produced significantly better outcomes in self-reported sleep, health, and actigraphy, but not polysomnography. Improvements were maintained at 6 months. The investigators concluded that brief behavioral treatment for insomnia is a simple, efficacious, and durable intervention for chronic insomnia in older adults. This article was selected from Medscape Best Evidence. I am Dr. Alan Jacobs.
Abstract
This is the Medscape Neurology Minute. I am Dr. Alan Jacobs. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center studying chronic insomnia in older adults have published a study comparing the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia vs an information control condition. They randomly assigned 79 individuals with chronic insomnia and common comorbidities recruited from the community and one primary care clinic to either brief behavioral treatment for insomnia or printed educational material. The individualized behavioral instructions consisted of 2 intervention sessions and 2 telephone calls. A nurse clinician delivered both interventions. The primary outcome was a 4-week treatment response based on sleep questionnaires and diaries. Secondary outcomes included self-reported symptoms and sleep measures, sleep diaries, actigraphy, and polysomnography. A treatment response and the proportion of participants without insomnia were significantly higher for the behavioral treatment [group] than for the informational control group. No differences were found for subgroups according to hypnotic or antidepressant use, sleep apnea, or recruitment source. The behavioral treatment produced significantly better outcomes in self-reported sleep, health, and actigraphy, but not polysomnography. Improvements were maintained at 6 months. The investigators concluded that brief behavioral treatment for insomnia is a simple, efficacious, and durable intervention for chronic insomnia in older adults. This article was selected from Medscape Best Evidence. I am Dr. Alan Jacobs.
Abstract
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