Primary menopausal insomnia: definition, review, and practical approach

Eszopiclone treatment for insomnia: effect size comparisons in patients with primary insomnia and insomnia with medical and psychiatric comorbidity

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this post hoc analysis was to compare the treatment effect size of eszopiclone 3 mg for insomnia in patients with a diagnosis of primary insomnia and in several of the psychiatric and medical conditions that are most commonly comorbid with insomnia.

METHOD

Data were analyzed from 5 large, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of adult outpatients of at least 1 month duration published between 2006 and 2009. Diary-derived indices of sleep and daytime functioning and the Insomnia Severity Index were compared for patients with primary insomnia (DSM-IV-TR criteria, n = 828) and for those with insomnia comorbid with major depressive disorder (MDD, DSM-IV-TR criteria, n = 545), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD, DSM-IV-TR criteria, n = 595), perimenopause/postmenopause (Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop criteria, n = 410), and rheumatoid arthritis (American College of Rheumatology criteria, n = 153). Cohen d effect sizes were calculated for each individual study as the between-treatment difference score divided by the pooled standard deviation.

RESULTS

Effect sizes ranged from 0.40 to 0.69 (small-medium) as early as week 1 and were maintained at 0.26-0.63 at week 4 for sleep latency, wake time after sleep onset, and total sleep time. Sleep latency and total sleep time effect sizes increased from week 1 to week 4 in the primary insomnia group. At week 4, effect sizes on all 3 parameters and the Insomnia Severity Index tended to be highest for the primary insomnia patients and tended to be lowest for patients with comorbid GAD and MDD. The effect sizes for daytime functioning were small for all insomnia patient groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Eszopiclone 3 mg is an effective treatment for insomnia across 5 clinically diverse patient populations; however, magnitude of effect is mediated by underlying comorbidity and their treatments, with largest measures of effect seen in primary insomnia and lowest in MDD and GAD. These consistent results, and the fact that clinical trials were conducted in patients being treated as appropriate for their comorbid clinical conditions, support the results' real-world generalizability and utility to clinical practice.

A multinational study of sleep disorders during female mid-life

BACKGROUND

Although sleep disturbances are common during female mid-life, few studies have described in detail the prevalence of this problem and related risk factors.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of sleep disturbances in mid-aged women using validated tools. Assessment of determinants capable of influencing the prevalence of insomnia and poor sleep quality was also performed.

METHODS

A total of 6079 women aged 40-59 of 11 Latin American countries were invited to fill out the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), the Brief Scale of Abnormal Drinking and a general socio-demographic questionnaire.

RESULTS

Overall, 56.6% of surveyed women suffered of either insomnia, poor sleep quality, or both. Specifically, 43.6% and 46.2% presented insomnia and poor sleep quality in accordance to the AIS and the PSQI respectively. The prevalence of insomnia increased with female age (from 39.7% in those aged 40-44 to 45.2% in those aged 55-59, p<0.0001) and menopausal stage (from 39.5% in premenopausal aged 40-44 to 46.3% in late postmenopausal ones, p<0.0001). "Awakening during the night" (AIS: Item 2) was the most highly rated of all items and contributing in a higher degree (mean 16%) to the total score of the scale in all menopausal phases. Sleep quality also worsened with age and menopausal status, impairment particularly affecting sleep efficiency and latency and the increased use of hypnotics. Vasomotor symptoms (VMS), depressive mood and anxiety were associated to sleep disturbances. Women presenting sleep disturbances displayed a 2-fold increase in the severity of menopausal symptoms (higher total MRS scores) which was translated into a 6-8 times higher risk of impaired quality of life. Logistic regression analysis determined that female age, the presence of chronic disease, troublesome drinking, anxiety, depression, VMS, drug use (hypnotics and hormone therapy) were significant risk factors related to the presence of sleep disturbances. Higher educational level related to less insomnia and better sleep quality.

CONCLUSION

Insomnia and poor sleep quality were highly prevalent in this mid-aged female sample in which the influence of age and the menopause was only modest and rather linked to menopausal symptoms already occurring since the premenopause.