The influence of clinical symptoms on quality of life in patients with narcolepsy

Quality of life is a multidimensional construct involving subjective well-being, health, and welfare. For the patient with narcolepsy, as for any patient with a chronic illness, clinical symptoms have a major impact on physical and psychosocial function and hence on quality of life. This article briefly reviews selected effects of narcolepsy and describes the results of studies undertaken by researchers at the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center of Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. The goal of these studies was to determine the social characteristics and perceived needs of patients and to document the prevalence of the clinical features of narcolepsy and their impact on quality of life. Using a combination of methodologies-mail survey, record review, and personal interviews-the researchers found that clinical symptoms of narcolepsy have a profound impact on the physical, mental, and social health of those affected with the disorder.