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Published on: October 2, 2019
Polysomnography parameters in typically development and neuropsychiatric children: A systematic review and
Zhi-Bo Zhang1, Yong-Bo Zheng2, Si-Zhen Su1
1Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No.2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing, China.
Insights
This study establishes normative sleep patterns in typically developing children and adolescents using polysomnography (PSG). These findings aid in diagnosing sleep disorders in pediatric neuropsychiatric conditions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Normative polysomnographic (PSG) data for typically developing (TD) children and adolescents are scarce.
- This limits sleep research and clinical management for pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize PSG parameters in TD participants from infancy to 18 years.
- To compare these parameters with those in pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of 135 publications from the Scopus database citing AASM scoring manuals.
- Inclusion of data from 7015 TD children and 3421 neuropsychiatric participants.
Main Results:
- TD children: Total Sleep Time (TST) 459.44 min, Sleep Efficiency (SE) 87.87%.
- Age-related changes: Decreased Sleep Onset Latency (SOL) & Wake After Sleep Onset (WASO); Increased Slow Wave Sleep (SWS) & REM sleep.
- Neuropsychiatric children (epilepsy, Down syndrome, autism) showed significant SE differences.
Conclusions:
- Provides a comprehensive profile of PSG parameters in TD children.
- Offers valuable reference for differential diagnosis and clinical management of pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders.
Abstract:
The scarcity of normative polysomnographic (PSG) parameters in typically developing (TD) children and adolescents, as well as those with neuropsychiatric disorders, limits sleep research and clinical management. This study aimed to characterize PSG parameters in TD participants from infancy to 18 years and compare them with those observed in pediatric neuropsychiatric disorders. Data were extracted from 135 publications in the Scopus database citing the AASM 2007 scoring manual and subsequent versions, involving 7015 TD children and 3421 neuropsychiatric participants. Among TD children, total sleep time (TST) was 459.44 min, and sleep efficiency (SE) was 87.87%; the proportions of N1, N2, and SWS were 4.94%, 46.73%, and 27.14%, respectively. With increasing age, sleep onset latency (SOL) and wake after sleep onset (WASO) decreased, while SWS and REM increased. SE and N2 were positively correlated with age. Neuropsychiatric children, particularly those with epilepsy, Down syndrome, and autism, showed significant differences in SE. These findings provide a comprehensive profile of PSG parameters in TD children, useful for the differential diagnosis and clinical management of neuropsychiatric disorders.

