Kleine-Levin syndrome: An overview and relevance to nursing practice
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-1-2016
Abstract
Kleine-Levin syndrome (KLS) is a neuropsychiatric sleep disorder primarily affecting adolescent males. Onset is insidious, idiopathic, and hastened by neurological incident or infection. Typically, the initial onset occurs during the teen years or after the second decade, although cases have been documented in early childhood, adulthood, and senescence. KLS is marked by unexpected debilitating, yet reversible, episodic hypersomnia, with varying recurrence rates; cognitive and behavioral impairment; compulsive eating; and feelings of derealization, hypersexuality, apathy, and depressed mood. Diagnosis is problematic due to the syndrome’s rarity, disparity of presenting clinical symptoms, and misdiagnosis. Correct diagnosis can take up to 4 years. The clinical course is approximately 8 to 14 years from initial onset, yet may be longer in the adult form of the disorder. KLS has been shown to impact activities of daily living, usurping an adolescent of his/her social relations with peers, experiences, and time.
Publication Title
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services
First Page Number
41
Last Page Number
47
DOI
10.3928/02793695-20160219-07
Recommended Citation
Arnone, Jacqueline M. and Conti, Richard P., "Kleine-Levin syndrome: An overview and relevance to nursing practice" (2016). Kean Publications. 1752.
https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/keanpublications/1752