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Nocturnal sleep measured by actigraphy in children with Prader-Willi syndrome

Shiree Gibbs1, Esko Wiltshire, Dawn Elder

  • 1Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Otago, Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|October 30, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) experience shorter sleep latency but increased nighttime awakenings compared to controls. Total sleep time and morning wake times remain similar, indicating distinct sleep architecture in PWS.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric endocrinology
  • Sleep medicine
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder affecting multiple systems.
  • Sleep disturbances are common in children with PWS, impacting their quality of life.
  • Objective assessment of sleep patterns in PWS is crucial for understanding and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To objectively evaluate nocturnal sleep duration and architecture in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) using actigraphy.
  • To compare sleep parameters between children with PWS and age- and sex-matched controls.

Main Methods:

  • Actigraphy was used to collect sleep data over seven consecutive nights from 8 children with PWS and their matched controls.
  • Key sleep metrics including total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, sleep latency (SL), and awakenings after sleep onset (WASO) were analyzed.
  • Parental sleep diaries and questionnaires supplemented actigraphy data.

Main Results:

  • Children with PWS exhibited significantly shorter sleep latency (SL) and longer duration of awakenings after sleep onset (WASO) compared to controls.
  • No significant differences were found in total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, or the number of awakenings between the groups.
  • Higher daytime sleepiness scores were reported in the PWS group, with no correlation found between WASO and BMI or sleepiness.

Conclusions:

  • Children with PWS demonstrate altered sleep patterns, characterized by quicker sleep onset but more fragmented nighttime sleep.
  • Despite increased nighttime awakenings, total sleep time and morning wake times are comparable to controls.
  • These findings highlight specific sleep architecture differences in PWS that warrant further investigation and potential clinical intervention.
Abstract

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