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Nocturnal symptoms and sleep disturbances in clinically stable asthmatic children

Inder Mohan Chugh1, Puneet Khanna, Ashok Shah

  • 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India.

Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology
|December 2, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Asthmatic children experience frequent nocturnal symptoms and sleep disturbances, impacting their daytime activity. Awareness of the asthma-sleep connection is crucial for better asthma management in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Asthma Research

Background:

  • Nocturnal symptoms are linked to asthma severity.
  • Even clinically stable asthmatic children report sleep disturbances.
  • Understanding these issues in a home environment is important.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of nocturnal symptoms and sleep disturbances in stable, school-going asthmatic children.
  • To compare these parameters with age and gender-matched healthy children.
  • To assess the impact of environmental tobacco smoke exposure.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control, questionnaire-based study involving 70 children (40 asthmatics, 30 healthy controls).
  • Parents maintained daily sleep diaries and recorded peak expiratory flow (PEF) for one week.
  • Utilized validated scales to assess sleep quality and daytime function.

Main Results:

  • Asthmatic children showed significantly lower mean morning and evening PEF values.
  • A high percentage of asthmatic children reported nocturnal symptoms (cough, breathlessness, wheeze, chest tightness).
  • Asthmatic children experienced significantly more sleep disturbances, including daytime sleepiness, tiredness, and difficulty maintaining sleep, along with poorer sleep quality and daytime fitness.

Conclusions:

  • Clinically stable asthmatic children exhibit increased nocturnal symptoms and sleep disturbances, leading to poorer sleep quality.
  • There is a lack of awareness regarding the association between asthma and sleep, potentially leading to suboptimal asthma control.
  • Addressing sleep issues is vital for improving overall health and daytime functioning in pediatric asthma patients.

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