Clinical Research Directory

Sleep Evaluation Before and After Metabolic Surgery

Obesity is frequently associated with sleep disturbances, including poor sleep quality, insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness, and obstructive sleep apnea. Metabolic surgery is an effective treatment for obesity and may improve several sleep-related outcomes, but the long-term change in sleep quality after surgery is not well understood. Most previous studies have relied on questionnaires or single-night measurements, which may not fully reflect sleep patterns in daily life. The SLEEP-BAM study is an observational longitudinal cohort study in adults scheduled for primary metabolic surgery at Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Participants will complete two home-based sleep measurement periods: one before surgery and one approximately 1 year after surgery. During each period, participants will wear two wearable devices for 5 consecutive nights: a Garmin Index Sleep Monitor and a viQtor research device. Participants will also complete sleep questionnaires and a daily sleep diary. The main aim is to evaluate the change in objective sleep quality from before surgery to 1 year after surgery, measured using the Garmin Sleep Score. Secondary aims include evaluating changes in sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep timing, sleep regularity, oxygen saturation, heart rate variability, subjective sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, anxiety and depression symptoms, and quality of life. The study will also explore whether changes in sleep quality are associated with postoperative weight loss. The study does not change the standard surgical treatment. Participants undergo metabolic surgery as part of routine care, and the research procedures consist only of sleep monitoring, questionnaires, and sleep diaries.

Ultrasound Assessment of Tongue Characteristics in Adolescents With Obesity and Obstructive Sleep Disorders

Obstructive sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), represents a significant yet underdiagnosed condition in the pediatric population, particularly among adolescents with obesity. The tongue is a central anatomical contributor to upper airway collapsibility; however, its biomechanical properties have been investigated almost exclusively in adult populations, leaving a critical gap in knowledge regarding younger individuals. This study aims to assess tongue biomechanical and echographic characteristics using quantitative ultrasound modalities - shear-wave elastography (SWE), acoustic attenuation, and echo intensity - in adolescents aged 12 to 18 years with obesity and obstructive sleep disorders. The study adopts a mixed design combining (1) an observational cross-sectional comparison between participants with obesity and OSDB and age- and sex-matched healthy controls at baseline, and (2) a prospective longitudinal cohort component evaluating changes in tongue ultrasound characteristics over the course of a 30-week multidisciplinary inpatient weight-loss program delivered as standard care at the Zeepreventorium (De Haan, Belgium). An additionnal methodological objective consists in determining intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the ultrasound acquisition protocol providing a reproducible framework for future studies.

Correlation Between Smartphone Addiction, Sleep Problems and Body Mass Index in School Age Children

This study sought to determine whether smartphone addiction and school-age children's body mass index (BMI) and sleep problems were related.