Abstract
Children with asthma are thought to have impaired sleep quality and quantity. In this study we investigated which of many sleep aspects are associated with asthma.
The sample consisted of 2529 children (11 years) who participated in the Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy (PIAMA) birth cohort study. Parents reported about asthma symptoms (wheezing, dyspnoea, prescription of inhaled corticosteroids, asthma diagnosis) and children reported about different aspects of sleep (bedtime, rise time, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness/tiredness). Results were analysed with (logistic) regression analysis.
Children with frequent asthma symptoms significantly more often reported that they felt sleepy or tired during the day (34.4% experienced daytime sleepiness/tiredness at least once a week) than children without asthma symptoms (22.2%), and children with infrequent asthma symptoms (21.9%). This association was not confounded by gender, age of the child, parental educational level, or smoking inside the house; nor was the effect modified by gender. There were no associations between asthma and bedtime, time spent in bed or sleep quality.
Children with frequent asthma symptoms more often experienced daytime sleepiness/tiredness than children with infrequent or no asthma symptoms. Children with asthma did otherwise not differ much from children without asthma with regard to sleep.
- ERS
