Professor Emiliano Albanese’s study, titled " Epidemiology and burden of chronic insomnia disorder in Europe: an analysis of the 2020 National Health and Wellness Survey" , aims to deepen our knowledge of chronic insomnia disorder (CID). Although CID is recognised as a significant global health issue, its prevalence and impact remain largely unclear. Insomnia generally refers to three main nocturnal symptoms: difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and waking up early without returning to sleep. The diagnosis of Chronic Insomnia Disorder (CID) is based on additional factors, such as the frequency and duration of these symptoms over time, as well as the absence of potential alternative causes for insomnia. The study aims to understand CID’s economic and social/human impact; to do this, data were collected on patients from five European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Research indicates that between 5.5% and 6.7% of the population suffers from insomnia. This condition is most prevalent among women, middle-aged individuals, older people, and those who are overweight. Additionally, the impact of chronic insomnia disorder (CID) on health-related quality of life, work productivity, and use of healthcare was also examined. The results showed "a significant and stepwise association between the humanistic and economic impact of insomnia and the severity of the condition". The study, published in the Journal of Medical Economics 2024 , involved several other researchers.
The first of the two studies in which Professor Mauro Manconi participated is titled "Clinical and instrumental features in 82 patients with insufficient sleep syndrome". It concerns another widespread yet under-researched sleep pathology: Insufficient sleep syndrome (ISS). It occurs when an individual consistently does not get enough sleep, leading to inadequate wakefulness and alertness during the day. The study’s objective was to conduct a thorough clinical and instrumental assessment of a large group of ISS patients. Participants were asked to keep a diary in which they recorded their sleep patterns, differentiating between weekdays and weekends. It was observed that ISS affects more middle-aged adults who are either currently working or have previously worked while being integrated into a family environment. No significant differences were found between men and women. Additionally, a correlation was identified between ISS and the presence of other health issues in 88% of cases, as well as other sleep disorders in 47.6% of cases. The percentage of participants with depression (17%) and anxiety (8.5%) was higher than expected for a group of employed young adults, suggesting "an association of ISS with these disorders and perhaps implying a common pathophysiology, both biologically and psychologically". Furthermore, the study revealed that individuals suffering from ISS often misperceive their sleep patterns and tend to compensate for insufficient rest during the week by sleeping in later on weekends. The study hypothesised that the problems associated with ISS "depend mainly on irregularity, fragmentation and low quality of sleep, and not on an overall reduced number of hours of sleep".
The study was conducted by researchers from USI, the Institute of Clinical Neuroscience of Southern Switzerland (EOC ) and the University Hospital of Geneva (Department of Psychiatry); it was published in the Journal of Sleep Research.
The second study in which Professor Manconi took part, titled "Idling for Decades: A European Study on Risk Factors Associated with the Delay Before a Narcolepsy Diagnosis" , investigates the diagnostic delay of narcolepsy type 1 over the years (1990-2018) and the factors associated with it in Europe. Narcolepsy is a chronic condition that affects approximately 0.02% to 0.07% of the population. It is characterised by episodes of uncontrollable daytime sleepiness. Most participants in studies on narcolepsy report that their first episodes occurred between the ages of 10 and 20. However, it often takes a long time for an accurate diagnosis of narcolepsy to be made. "The extended diagnostic delay in narcolepsy can lead to substantial medical and socioeconomic burdens caused by misdiagnosis, exposure to inappropriate medications, multiple clinic visits, reduced quality of life and productivity of patients, poor school performance, increased unemployment, absenteeism, and negative impact on patients’ families." The study indicated that the diagnostic delay for narcolepsy is not influenced by country or gender; however, it can be affected by age (with later diagnoses in children and adolescents), social conditions, and the severity of the disease (as severe symptoms tend to facilitate quicker diagnosis). Over the past 30 years, the diagnostic delay in Europe has remained consistent, highlighting the need for investment in the development of new technologies to enable earlier diagnosis of narcolepsy, as suggested by the study’s findings.
The study, published in the journal Nature and Science of Sleep , involved several other researchers.
