Long-term follow-up study of 10 adolescent patients with sleep-wake schedule disorders.

Therapeutic trials for sleep-wake schedule disorders have been described, but a long-term follow-up of adolescents with such disorders have not previously been reported. We investigated 10 adolescents with sleep-wake schedule disorders who had formerly received intensive treatment. The investigation was carried out with detailed questionnaires about current sleep conditions and social state. The follow-ups were obtained from 1.2 to 11.2 years after the initial treatment. Three cases have remitted, and six have improved in illness severity. All patients showed improvement in social adaptation. Improvement in the social adaptation level was greater than improvement in the illness severity level. More cases should be studied to learn what factors influence the prognosis of these disorders.