Sleep disturbances in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study are to compare self-reported sleep quality in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors and a population-based comparison group, to identify treatment-related factors associated with sleep disturbances, and to identify the impact of post-treatment obesity and depression on sleep scores in adult survivors of childhood brain tumors.


METHODS
Randomly selected adult survivors of childhood brain tumors (n = 78) and age-, sex-, and zip code-matched population-group members (n = 78) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Brief Symptom Inventory. Sleep quality and the effect of demographic, treatment, and post-treatment characteristics were evaluated with linear and logistic regression analyses.


RESULTS
Brain tumor survivors were 2.7 (95% CI, 1.1, 6.5) times more likely than the comparison group to take greater than 30 min to fall asleep. Females in both groups reported worse sleep quality and impaired daytime functioning. Among survivors, post-treatment obesity was associated with daytime dysfunction.


CONCLUSIONS
These results agree with previous studies associating sleep, sex, and obesity and identified longer sleep latency as being a problem among childhood brain tumor survivors. Further study identifying factors contributing to sleep latency, and its impact on quality of life among adult survivors of childhood brain tumors is needed.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Memphis, School of Public Health, 3820 Desoto Avenue, Browning Hall Room 227, Memphis, TN 38152, USA. vgnolan@memphis.edu
Vikki G
VG
Nolan
Roxanna
R
Gapstur
Cynthia R
CR
Gross
Lauren A
LA
Desain
Joseph P
JP
Neglia
Amar
A
Gajjar
James L
JL
Klosky
Thomas E
TE
Merchant
Marilyn
M
Stovall
Kirsten K
KK
Ness
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult