The University of Iowa Sleep Disorders Center has a strong history of providing excellent clinical care for patients with a wide variety of sleep disorders. recent expansion to a 5-bed laboratory, located in newly renovated space on the second floor of the Roy Carver Pavilion, allows us to offer the same high level of care to a growing number of patients. The Center is fully accredited by the American Sleep Disorders Association and is staffed by physicians and technologists who are board certified in Sleep Disorder Medicine. The Sleep Disorders Center is incorporated into a general neurology unit, which provides nursing support.

The Sleep Disorders Center Features
The Sleep Disorders Center provides specialized evaluation to aid in diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.

Who can benefit from a sleep disorders evaluation? Patients experiencing:

• Insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness,
• Sleep apnea and snoring,
• Narcolepsy
• Nocturnal myoclonus (periodic limb movments in sleep),
• Seizures in sleep
• REM behavior disorder, and
• Parasomnias, such as somnambulism (sleep walking), night terrors, and Rhythmic Movement Disorder (head banging).

Sleep Disorders Clinic
The Department of Neurology conducts a daily Sleep Disorders Clinic. Patients are referred to the clinic by community physicians and other departments within the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

A thorough history is taken and physical exam performed to determine whether diagnostic studies such as polysomnography or Multiple Sleep Latency testing are needed.

All-Night Polysomnography (PSG)
monitors a variety of physiologic activities during an overnight evaluation. Using state-of-the-art equipment, the recording provides information about sleep stages, respiratory effort and airflow, heart rate, blood oxygen level, and limb movements. Split-screen, radio/video telemetry can be used to simultaneously capture polysomnographic data with movements that may take the patient away from the bed, such as sleep walking.

Treatments for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
canbe initiated during the sleep study, including CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure), BiPAP (Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure), oxygen, or a combination of these.

The Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT)
is performed the day following overnight polysomnography to evaluate excessive daytime sleepiness. Physiologic activity recordings include electroencephalogram (EEG), electrooculogram, chin muscle, and respirations. These recordings, performed at two hour intervals for 15 to 35 minutes, allow sleep latency and abnormalities of sleep onset to be determined.

The multiple sleep latency test is often necessary for diagnosis of narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnolence. It also provides objective verification of a patient's complaint of daytime sleepiness and assists in establishing proper treatment.

PSG and MSLT results are interpreted by physicians in the Sleep Disorders Center, and a written report including diagnosis, treatment, and other recommendations is sent to the referring physician. If needed, patients may continue to be followed in the Sleep Disorders Center.

Board-Certified Staff Members in the Sleep Disorders Center:

M. Eric Dyken, MD
Chris Glenn
Zong-Ying Ren
Jon M. Tippin, MD
Thoru Yamada, MD
Malcolm Yeh, MD