Poor Sleep, Increased Stress and Metabolic Comorbidity in Adolescents and Youth With Type 2 Diabetes

The impacts of stress and disrupted sleep on type 2 diabetes management and related comorbidities in adolescents and youth remain unknown. In this study, we examine sleep in adolescents and youth living with type 2 diabetes and matched controls and its association with stress, glycemic management, albuminuria and hypertension.

A cross-sectional analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI]) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale-14 [PSS-14] and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale [K6]) with metabolic control within a cohort of male and female adolescents and youth (10 to 23 years old) with type 2 diabetes and weight- and ethnicity-matched controls.

One hundred eighty-one adolescents and youth with type 2 diabetes (15.0±2.44 years of age, body mass index z score [BMIz] 1.85±0.60, 62.5% female) and 52 controls (16±2.9 years, BMIz 1.99±0.58, 61.5% female) were included in the investigation. Participants slept for an average of 8.38 hours per night, and 49% of individuals with type 2 diabetes and 46% of controls rated their sleep quality as "poor." No sex differences were seen for sleep scores (p=0.13), but females reported higher stress (p=0.001) and distress (p=0.03). No differences in glycated hemoglobin (p=0.11), BMIz (p=0.28), hypertension (p=0.24) or albuminuria (p=0.79) were seen in individuals reporting good vs poor sleep. Regression analysis showed that poor sleep was associated with higher glycated hemoglobin (p=0.029).

Many adolescents and youth reported poor sleep, which was associated with stress, distress and worse glycemic management. Differences were observed between sexes. The long-term effects of poor sleep and psychological distress warrant further study.