Publications by authors named "Philip Becker"

The sleep of millions has suffered during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Prevalence rates of 20-45% are reported globally for insomnia symptoms during the pandemic. Affected populations include the public and health care workers.

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Introduction: The International Restless Legs Study Group (IRLSSG) has developed the IRLS (International Restless Legs Syndrome Severity Scale) and validated it as a clinician/researcher administered scale to be used when both patient and examiner are present. The IRLSSG recognized the need for a self-completing scale that can be used economically in clinical practice and in large population-based studies. In this study the validity and the reliability of the IRLS as a self-administered scale (sIRLS) is assessed.

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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gut-brain disorder involving alterations in intestinal sensitivity and motility. Serotonin 5-HT receptors are promising candidates in IBS pathophysiology since they regulate gut motor function and stool consistency, and targeted 5-HTR selective drug intervention has been proven beneficial in subgroups of patients. We identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs201253747) c.

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Background: While scores ≤10 on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) are within the normal range, the reduction in elevated ESS score that is clinically meaningful in patients with narcolepsy has not been established.

Methods: This post hoc analysis of a clinical trial of patients with narcolepsy evaluated correlations between Patient Global Impression of Change (PGI-C) and ESS. Data of adult patients with narcolepsy from a double-blind, 12-week placebo-controlled study of JZP-110, a wake-promoting agent, were used in this analysis.

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Objectives: Liver biopsies are the current gold standard in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) diagnosis. Their invasive nature, however, still carries an increased risk for patients' health. The development of non-invasive diagnostic tools to differentiate between bland steatosis (NAFL) and NASH remains crucial.

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Restless leg syndrome, or Willis-Ekbom disease, is a neurosensorimotor disorder with significant impact that is diagnosed through 5 clinical criteria. Adherence to 5 criteria and a thorough physical examination are often sufficient for diagnosis. Associated features prove helpful in young children or the cognitively impaired.

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Hypnosis has been used to manage insomnia and disorders of arousal. The alteration in the state of consciousness produced during hypnotic trance is more similar to relaxed reverie than sleep. Hypnosis typically occurs in a state of repose and the accomplished subject may have no recollection of the experience during a trance, 2 commonalities with sleep.

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Because of proven efficacy, reduced side effects, and less concern about addiction, non-benzodiazepine receptor agonists (non-BzRA) have become the most commonly prescribed hypnotic agents to treat onset and maintenance insomnia. First-line treatment is cognitive-behavioral therapy. When pharmacologic treatment is indicated, non-BzRA are first-line agents for the short-term and long-term management of transient and chronic insomnia related to adjustment, psychophysiologic, primary, and secondary causation.

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Objective: Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, is a sensorimotor disorder that can result in considerable sleep disruption. This narrative review provides an overview of RLS diagnosis and reports epidemiologic evidence for an association between RLS and mood disorders. Possible links between RLS, sleep disturbances, and mood disorders are considered, and theoretical pathophysiologic pathways are discussed.

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Study Objectives: To compare pregabalin versus placebo and pramipexole for reducing restless legs syndrome (RLS)-related sleep disturbance.

Design: Randomized, double-blinded, crossover trial.

Setting: Twenty-three US sleep centers.

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Objective: This narrative review describes the differential diagnosis of restless legs syndrome, and provides an overview of the evidence for the associations between RLS and potential comorbidities. Secondary causes of RLS and the characteristics of pediatric RLS are also discussed. Finally, management strategies for RLS are summarized.

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Restless legs syndrome (RLS)/Willis-Ekbom disease (WED) is a common disorder, occurring at least twice a week and causing at least moderate distress in 1.5% to 2.7% of the population.

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Objective: We aimed to evaluate the impact of a novel noninvasive oral pressure therapy (OPT) (Winx®, ApniCure) system on polysomnographic measures of sleep-disordered breathing, sleep architecture, and sleep stability in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Subjects And Methods: A 4-week, multicenter, prospective, open-label, randomized, crossover, first-night order of control vs treatment, single-arm trial was conducted in five American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) - accredited sleep clinics and one research laboratory. Sixty-three subjects (analysis cohort) were studied from a screening cohort of 367 subjects.

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Background & Aims: In the last decade, pegylated interferon-α (PegIFN-α) plus ribavirin (RBV) was the standard treatment of chronic hepatitis C for genotype 1, and it remains the standard for genotypes 2 and 3. Recent studies reported associations between RBV-induced anemia and genetic polymorphisms of concentrative nucleoside transporters such as CNT3 (encoded by SLC28A3) and inosine triphosphatase (encoded by ITPA). We aimed at studying genetic determinants of RBV kinetics, efficacy and treatment-associated anemia.

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Objectives: This open-label, multicenter, 52-week extension study (NCT00333359) assessed the long-term safety and efficacy of gabapentin enacarbil in subjects with moderate-to-severe primary restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Methods: Subjects had completed one of 4 randomized, double-blind parent studies (XP052/XP053/XP081/XP083). Gabapentin enacarbil 1200 mg was administered once daily at 5 pm; dose adjustments to 600 or 1800 mg were permitted based on investigator judgment.

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This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial (NCT00135993) assessed efficacy and safety of the dopamine agonist rotigotine in the treatment of idiopathic restless legs syndrome (RLS) over a 6-month maintenance period. A total of 505 eligible participants with moderate to severe RLS (IRLS sum score >or= 15) were randomly assigned to five groups to receive either placebo or rotigotine (0.5, 1, 2, or 3 mg/24 hr) delivered by once-daily transdermal patch (fixed-dose regimen).

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Patients with neurologic disorders commonly experience sleep dysfunction and psychiatric disorders. The most common sleep dysfunction is insomnia, which is a primary symptom in 30% to 90% of psychiatric disorders. Insomnia and fatigue are prominent symptoms of anxiety disorders and major depression that may occur in patients who are treated but have residual sleep dysfunction.

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Objectives: Assess the efficacy and tolerability of gabapentin enacarbil (GEn), a transported prodrug of gabapentin with improved gabapentin exposure, in adults with moderate-to-severe primary restless legs syndrome.

Methods: This 14-day, double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of GEn at 1200 or 600 mg or placebo taken once daily, evaluated the mean change from baseline International Restless Legs Scale (IRLS) total score at end of treatment (day 14:primary comparison, GEn at 1200 mg vs placebo). Secondary end points included Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale outcomes at day 14.

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