6533b834fe1ef96bd129cc5a

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Basal metabolic rate in narcoleptic patients.

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description

PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM NARCOLEPSY TEND TO BE OBESE.1,2 AMONG OTHER HYPOTHESES LOWER RESTING ENERGY EXPENDITURE HAS BEEN SUSPECTED to be the cause of the narcolepsy-associated obesity.3,4 The use of indirect calorimetry is a well-established noninvasive method to measure the energy expenditure (EE) and the resting (basal) metabolic rate (BMR). Chabas et al. recently published an evaluation of eating behavior and energy balance of 7 typical and 6 atypical narcoleptic patients and 9 controls using indirect calorimetry. Narcoleptic patients were found to have a lower energy expenditure (EE) than controls (n = 13, P = 0.07). Thus, it was concluded that narcolepsy associated obesity could be the result of the difference in EE.3 However, cases and controls were not BMI matched and the results were only of trend significance. In an attempt to replicate this findings, Fronczek et al. determined the basal metabolic rate (BMR) of 15 male narcoleptic patients and 15 age- and BMI-matched controls and found no difference (P = 0.77).4 To clarify the controversy, we determined EE with the same method that Chabas had utilized and calculated the BMR using the formula employed in the Fronczek study in 13 narcoleptics and 30 healthy BMI- and age-matched controls.