Sleep disturbances in school-age children with chronic pain.
OBJECTIVE
To examine associations between pain, functional outcomes, and sleep disturbances in children with chronic pain, specifically juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), sickle cell disease (SCD), and headache (HA). Sleep disturbances were tested as a risk factor for increased functional disability and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL).


METHODS
One hundred children (JIA n = 30, SCD n = 26, HA n = 44; 8-12 years; 56% female) and their caregivers participated. Children completed questionnaires regarding pain, depression, and functional disability. Caregivers completed questionnaires regarding sociodemographics, child sleep habits, functional disability, and HRQOL.


RESULTS
Levels of overall sleep disturbances were above the clinical cutoff for 53% of children with chronic pain. Sleep disturbances predicted lower physical HRQOL and higher functional disability, according to parent report.


CONCLUSIONS
Sleep disturbances are common and associated with daytime functioning in school-age children with chronic pain, suggesting that assessment and treatment of sleep problems is clinically relevant.
Long
Anna C
AC
Oregon Health & Science University, USA. longann@ohsu.edu
Krishnamurthy
Vidhya
V
Palermo
Tonya M
TM
D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires