C. Hublin et al., THE ULLANLINNA-NARCOLEPSY-SCALE - VALIDATION OF A MEASURE OF SYMPTOMSIN THE NARCOLEPTIC SYNDROME, Journal of sleep research, 3(1), 1994, pp. 52-59
The Ullanlinna Narcolepsy Scale (UNS) is a simple questionnaire-based
method used to measure the symptoms of the narcoleptic syndrome. The 1
1-item scale (range 0-44) assesses the two main features of the narcol
eptic syndrome, the abnormal sleeping tendency and cataplexy. The UNS
sum score reliably distinguishes patients with the narcoleptic syndrom
e from patients with sleep apnoea, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy. T
he mean score in patients with the narcoleptic syndrome was 27.3 (95%
confidence limits 24.4-33.1); the sleep apnoea group with a mean score
of 9.6 (95% confidence limits 7.2-12.0) came closest to this. Validat
ion data were also selected from a large survey of non-institutionaliz
ed adults in Finland including groups with insomnia, excessive daytime
sleepiness, sleep deprivation, sciatica, alcohol abuse, and high scor
es on a depression scale and on a scale of neurovegetative symptoms. W
ith the lowest UNS score in the narcoleptic syndrome group (= 14) as t
he cutpoint, the sensitivity is 100% and the specificity is 98.8% in t
he subjects studied. The accurate assessment of the symptoms of the na
rcoleptic syndrome in a format suitable for questionnaire studies is e
ssential.