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Periodic limb movements and disrupted sleep in children with sickle cell disease

Valerie E Rogers1, Carole L Marcus, Abbas F Jawad

  • 1University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Sleep
|July 7, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) are common in children with sickle cell disease (SCD), disrupting sleep and correlating with restless legs syndrome (RLS) symptoms. Further research is needed to understand PLMS causes and consequences in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Hematology
  • Neurology

Background:

  • Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects numerous children globally.
  • Sleep disturbances are increasingly recognized in pediatric chronic illnesses.
  • Periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) are a common sleep disorder.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence, distribution, and associated factors of PLMS in children with SCD.
  • To investigate the relationship between PLMS and sleep quality in this cohort.
  • To explore potential correlations with restless legs syndrome (RLS) symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, cross-sectional study design.
  • Inclusion of 64 children (aged 2-18 years) with hemoglobin SS-type SCD.
  • Overnight polysomnography and parent-completed Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire.

Main Results:

  • A significant proportion of children with SCD (23.4%) exhibited elevated PLMS (≥ 5/h).
  • Elevated PLMS were associated with reduced sleep efficiency and increased arousal indices.
  • Symptoms suggestive of RLS were more prevalent in children with elevated PLMS.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated PLMS are a common finding in children with SCD, contributing to sleep disruption.
  • PLMS in SCD are linked to RLS symptoms, highlighting a potential comorbidity.
  • Further investigation into PLMS pathophysiology and development of targeted screening tools for SCD is warranted.
Abstract

Keywords:
Periodic limb movements in sleepadolescentanemiachildinter-movement intervalsickle cellsleep disorderssleep stages

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