Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2025
Systematic Scoring Analysis for Intestinal Inflammation in a Murine Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis Model
Published on: February 14, 2021
A Systematic Review of Sleep Disturbances in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Erin L Moorman1, Natalie C Koskela-Staples1, David M Janicke1
1Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, USA.
Insights
Children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may not have more sleep disturbances than healthy peers. However, poorer psychosocial functioning and active disease correlate with greater sleep issues in pediatric IBD.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Sleep Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Sleep disturbances are common in children, but their prevalence and impact in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) require further characterization.
- Understanding factors associated with sleep disturbances is crucial for improving the quality of life for children with IBD.
Approach:
- A systematic review was conducted by searching multiple databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane) for studies on sleep health in pediatric IBD.
- Included studies focused on participants aged 8-18 years with quantitative sleep outcomes or influencing factors, excluding those solely examining fatigue.
- Study quality was assessed, and data were synthesized across sleep health domains.
Key Points:
- The review included 28 articles, with a majority employing cross-sectional designs and varied sleep assessment methods.
- Results indicate that children with IBD do not necessarily experience more frequent sleep disturbances than healthy children.
- Greater sleep disturbance in pediatric IBD is linked to poorer psychosocial functioning and more active disease or severe symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Sleep disturbances in pediatric IBD are complex, involving interactions between inflammation, disease severity, and psychosocial well-being.
- Further research with rigorous methodologies, including validated sleep measures and longitudinal designs, is needed to clarify these associations.
- This review highlights the need for improved understanding and management of sleep health in children with IBD.
Objective:
The current systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42020220142) aims to characterize sleep health in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and evaluate disease-related and psychosocial prognostic factors associated with sleep disturbances in pediatric IBD.
Methods:
A search of PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases was performed. Included studies were written in English, presented original peer-reviewed research, included participants with a mean age of 8-18 years, and reported on at least one quantitative sleep outcome for children with IBD or factors impacting sleep for these children. Studies that did not report on a sleep outcome or factors influencing sleep, or only examined fatigue were excluded. Study quality was evaluated using validated quality assessment tools. The data from the included studies were extracted and synthesized across sleep health domains.
Results:
Database searches yielded 122 records (total participants = 3,905). After full-text and reference/citation searches, 28 articles were included in the review. Methods used to evaluate sleep widely varied across studies and a majority of the studies were cross-sectional. Results suggest that children with IBD may not experience more frequent sleep disturbance than healthy children. Greater sleep disturbance in pediatric IBD was found to be associated with poorer psychosocial functioning and greater active disease/severe symptoms.
Conclusions:
The findings from this review highlight the complex associations between sleep disturbances, inflammation, disease severity, and psychosocial functioning in children with IBD. Additional research with greater methodological rigor (e.g., use of validated sleep measures, longitudinal design, reporting of effect sizes) is warranted to further elucidate these relationships.
Summary:
The current systematic review examines the existing evidence and methods of measurement of sleep disturbances in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease. We describe and evaluate factors associated with sleep disturbance in this population. The quality of evidence, strengths and weaknesses of the literature, and future directions are described.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
01:27Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
01:29Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Pharmacological Management
Pharmacologic...
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are: