Table 4.

Comparisons between Asian FFI patients and non-Asians

		Asian (N=66) (n/%)	Non-Asian (N=65) (n/%)	P value
Demographic data	Sex (F/M)	27/39	30/33	0.443
	Age of onset (years)	46.79±12.60	48.25±12.50	0.507
	Disease duration (months)	11.82±6.40	14.74±11.15	0.108
	Definite familial history	51 (77.3%)	56 (86.2%)	0.189
Clinical symptoms	Prevalence of sleep-related symptoms	64 (97.0%)	55 (84.6%)	0.014
	Prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms	66 (100%)	58 (89.2%)	0.006*
	Prevalence of progressive sympathetic symptoms	56 (84.8%)	39 (60.0%)	0.001*
Genetic analyses	D178N with 129 MM	63 (95.5%)	48 (73.8%)	0.001*
	D178N with 129 MV	3 (4.5%)	17 (26.2%)
Brain MRI	Cerebral cortical atrophy	21 (36.2%)	5 (14.7%)	0.027*
	Hyperintense signals on DWI	0	2 (5.9%)	0.062
EEG	Diffusive excess of slow waves	21 (36.8%)	20 (45.5%)	0.382
	Periodic spike discharges	0	3 (6.8%)	0.045*
PSG	Reduced durations of REM	25 (86.2%)	22 (95.7%)	0.251
	Sleep-related involuntary	14 (48.3%)	6 (26.1%)	0.102
	Sleep-related dyspnoea	17 (58.6%)	6 (26.1%)	0.019*
	Laryngeal stridor	9 (31.0%)	1 (4.3%)	0.015*
PET	Hypometabolism in thalamus	15 (71.4%)	18 (85.7%)	0.259
SPECT	Induced blood flow in thalamus	5 (100%)	3 (71.4%)	0.114
CSF	Positive for 1433 protein	15 (46.9%)	5 (19.2%)	0.028

For frequency calculation, the number of patients with abnormalities was the numerator. For calculation of the positive rate of clinical symptoms, the number of all patients was the denominator. When calculating the positive rate of auxiliary examination, the number of patients who completed each type of test was the denominator.

*Significant difference.

CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; DWI, diffusion-weighted imaging; EEG, electroencephalogram; F, female; FFI, fatal familial insomnia; M, male; PET, positron emission tomography; PSG, polysomnography; REM, rapid eye movement; SPECT, single-photon emission CT.