Improvement of Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation in Sleeping Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-Analysis

Introduction. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of STN DBS on sleep quality and restless leg symptoms in individuals with PD. Methods. We searched the PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, CNKI, and WANFANG databases published between 1990 and 2019. The articles included were those that contained both pre- and postsurgery data acquired using International RLS Study Group criteria and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) questionnaire with patients’ follow-up of at least three months. All studies that met the quality requirements were included in a meta-analysis performed using STATA 12.0 software. Results. Of 73 articles identified, 7 studies comprising 82 patients were qualified for the current meta-analysis. After adjusting for heterogeneity in study effect sizes, the random effects meta-analysis indicated that STN DBS improved sleep quality and restless leg symptoms significantly (SMD = −1.111, 95% CI: −1.918∼−0.304, P=0.007). Subgroup analysis showed that different sleep scoring criteria had different effects on the condition of sleeping after surgery. Conclusions. STN DBS is a powerful method in the management of sleep quality and restless leg symptoms in PD patients, but its long-term effects with larger populations must be thoroughly assessed.