Association between PM₁₀ exposure and sleep of Egyptian school children.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to investigate the potential association between exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (PM10) and sleep disturbances among Egyptian school children.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, parents of school children from four elementary schools in areas with different PM10 exposures filled out the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children questionnaire in Arabic. Air pollution data were obtained from the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency.


RESULTS
The sample consisted of 276 children, 121 (44 %) of them were boys with a mean age of 9.26 ± 1.96 years. Disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS), disorders of excessive somnolence, and the total score were reported in the clinical range (T score > 70) in 19.9, 24.3, and 24.3 % of the sample, respectively. A generalized additive model with adjustment for potential confounding factors was used to examine the association between PM10 exposure and sleep disturbances. There were statistically significant associations between PM10 exposure and DIMS and sleep hyperhidrosis (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Air pollution exposure has a negative impact on children's sleep with significant association between exposure to PM10 and sleep disturbances.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, 2 Yousef Fahmy Street, El-Areech Street, Al-Ahram Street, Giza 12151, Egypt. maha_korany71@yahoo.com
Maha K
MK
Abou-Khadra
D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D004534:Egypt; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D052638:Particulate Matter