Health-related quality of life and sleep-disordered breathing in children.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the extent to which sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children


METHODS
Observational study of pediatric participants in a longitudinal genetic-epidemiologic cohort study of SDB.


METHODS
Community-based; studies conducted at participants' homes


METHODS
298 children, aged 11.1 years +/- 3.5 SD; 54% females; 61% African-American or Other; 81% with a family member identified with laboratory-confirmed SDB.


METHODS
Not applicable


RESULTS
The HRQOL was assessed with the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ-PF50), a 50-item parent-completed form that measures 14 multidimensional health concepts. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) was assessed with ovemight in-home monitoring that recorded nasal-oral airflow, pulse oximetry, chest-wall impedance, and heart rate. Using logistic regression analyses, each CHQ scale outcome was analyzed independently for the effect of SDB, adjusting for other potential confounding variables and for family-correlated data. Significant differences in overall physical health and complaints of bodily pain were observed in children with generally mild levels of SDB. Relationships persisted after adjustment for age, gender, ethnicity, obesity, and asthma.


CONCLUSIONS
SDB in children is associated with measurably lower levels of specific dimensions of HRQOL in children. Decrements in HRQOL are measurable even for children with mild SDB, with increasing effects observed with more severe SDB.
Rosen
Carol L
CL
Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106-6003, USA. clr14@po.cwru.edu
Palermo
Tonya M
TM
Larkin
Emma K
EK
Redline
Susan
S
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology*