J Sleep Med.  2015 Dec;12(2):67-70. 10.13078/jsm.15013.

Sleepwalking Triggered by Hypoglycemia

• Han SJ
• Kim JH

• KMID: 2223622
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.13078/jsm.15013

Abstract

Sleepwalking is a rare parasomnia in the elderly. We report two cases of the patients who presented complex motor behaviors during sleep triggered by hypoglycemia. A 76-year-old male patient with diabetes mellitus presented to the sleep clinic for recurrent sleepwalking with amnesia. Night polysomnogram showed REM sleep without atonia with sleep talking and distal arm movements. While taking clonazepam, he had a few more episodes of sleepwalking. The last episode finally revealed severe hypoglycemia when he was found very far from his house. The second patient, a 67-year-old male showed four episodes of nocturnal confusion and sleepwalking lasting 20 minutes during sleep. His blood glucose and HbA1c were low. After decrease of the dose of oral hypoglycemic agent, no more recurrent sleepwalking occurred. Our cases showed hypoglycemia can induce sleepwalking in the older adults, rather than decreased mentality. Metabolic workup should perform for evaluation of sleepwalking, especially in the elderly.

Keyword

Somnambulism; Hypoglycemia; Parasomnias

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Amnesia
Arm
Blood Glucose
Clonazepam
Diabetes Mellitus
Humans
Hypoglycemia*
Male
Parasomnias
Polysomnography
Sleep, REM
Sleep-Wake Transition Disorders
Somnambulism*
Blood Glucose
Clonazepam