Validity of the Japanese version of the REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) screening questionnaire for detecting probable RBD in the general population

AIM: In order to evaluate the validity of the REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) screening questionnaire (RBDSQ) as a screening tool for RBD in a general population setting, we conducted a validation study using residents of a rural community. METHODS: We sent questionnaires that included the RBDSQ to 2,631 eligible adult residents in the town of Daisen, Japan. RESULTS: Of those residents, 1,572 participants (59.7%) gave complete answers to the RBDSQ. Among them, 179 participants (11.4%) scored 5 or more points on the questionnaire; an additional 149 participants scoring 4 or less points were randomly selected for further telephone interview. Based on obtained results, 9 participants (0.57%) were judged as having probable RBD. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that a total score of 6 points on the RBDSQ represented the best cut-off value for detecting probable RBD (sensitivity: 100%, specificity: 73.0%). Analysis based on the item response theory revealed that items 1, 4, 6-1, 7, and 8 had lower difficulty than the remaining items, suggesting that these items are more essential in the screening for probable RBD. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that a score of 6 points on the RBDSQ could be used as a cut-off value for the screening of probable RBD in the general population. Evaluation of the distribution of positive items might be helpful for identifying the intensity of a person's RBD symptoms. Language: en