EEC 2024 | A polysomnography study to investigate sleep disturbances in Dravet syndrome

Alberto Cossu, MD, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona, Verona, Italy, discusses the significance of sleep disturbances as a common comorbidity in patients with Dravet Syndrome, noting that the majority of experts advocate for formal sleep studies. However, limited data exists on sleep microstructures in these patients. Dr Cossu’s retrospective polysomnography study of electroencephalogram (EEG) data from 30 patients highlighted age-related sleep inefficiencies and described a newly observed phenomenon, “epileptic discharge-related arousals,” where epileptic discharges disturb sleep and reduce slow-wave sleep. Notably, treatment with fenfluramine reduced these discharges and improved sleep quality, potentially due to fenfluramine’s serotonergic properties. This interview took place at the 15th European Epilepsy Congress (EEC) 2024 in Rome, Italy.

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