Kleine–Levin Syndrome: A case report

Publication date: Available online 9 September 2014 Source:Sleep Science Author(s): Taís Figueiredo de Araújo Lima , Nilce Sanny Costa da Silva Behrens , Eduardo Lopes , Danielle Pereira , Hassana de Almeida Fonseca , Paola Oliveira Cavalcanti , Marcia Pradella-Hallinan , Juliana Castro , Sergio Tufik , Fernando Morgadinho Santos Coelho The Kleine–Levin Syndrome is a differential diagnosis for patients with diurnal excessive sleepiness and a suspicion of narcolepsy. It is characterized by paroxysmal attacks of diurnal excessive sleepiness, associated with one or more symptoms of hyperphagia, hypersexuality, coprolalia and copropraxia. During crisis intervals, there are no symptoms. This pathology predominantly manifests itself in teenagers, being more frequent among males. The course of this disease is unpredictable, with variable duration and frequency. The most accepted physiopathology is that of a hypothalamic dysfunction, although and recently, there has appeared a hypothesis of a post-infectious autoimmune disorder. These patients show an elevated body mass index, which can predispose to association with comorbidities such as the sleep obstructive apnea syndrome. Treatment involves medications with different effects, but there is no specific and effective therapy. Our article shows a classic case of Kleine–Levin Syndrome associated with sleep obstructive apnea syndrome, a rare association in the literature.
Source: Sleep Science - Category: Sleep Medicine Source Type: research