Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus improves sleep in Parkinson disease patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sleep disorders significantly affect the quality of life in Parkinson disease (PD) patients. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus has been reported to improve motor symptoms and decrease medication usage. However, the impact of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) on sleep quality in PD patients remains to be definitively determined. This systematic review and meta-analysis, conducted following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines, aimed to clarify the effect of STN-DBS on sleep quality in PD patients. METHODS: A rigorous literature search identified 6 studies, including 1 randomized controlled trial and 5 self-controlled trials, totaling 154 patients who underwent deep brain stimulation, providing 308 pairs of data for analysis. Parkinson disease sleep scale was the primary measure of interest, while the Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the unified Parkinson disease rating scale was documented in all trials. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. RESULTS: STN-DBS significantly improved Parkinson disease sleep scale scores (mean difference = 20.41, 95% CI: [13.03, 27.79], I² = 60.8%, P < .001), indicating enhanced sleep quality. Furthermore, a significant reduction in movement disorder society unified Parkinson disease rating scale part III scores postoperatively (mean difference = −12.59, 95% CI: [−14.70, −10.49], I² = 89.9%, P < .001) suggested improved motor function. PD medication usage was also significantly reduced postoperatively (mean difference = −314.71, 95% CI: [−468.13, −161.28], I² = 52.9%, P < .001). A sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the main findings. The sample size was adequate, allowing for conclusive inferences. CONCLUSION: The present study, which comprises a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis, offers compelling evidence that STN-DBS can ameliorate sleep quality, augment motor function, and curtail medication consumption among individuals afflicted with PD.