title: Assessment of sleep problems in children with familial Mediterranean fever.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate sleep patterns, sleep disturbances and possible factors that are associated with sleep disturbances among children with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one patients with FMF and 84 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. The patients who had an attack during the last 2 weeks were not included. Demographic data, FMF symptoms, disease duration, dose of colchicine, disease severity score, number of attacks in the last year, MEFV mutation and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were recorded for each patient. A Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total sleep scores of the patients with FMF were significantly higher than the control group. Total sleep durations were similar between FMF patients and controls. Children with FMF had significantly higher scores regarding sleep-onset delay, sleep anxiety, night wakings and sleep-disordered breathing when compared to healthy controls. There was a significant positive correlation between number of attacks in the last year and sleep onset delay, night wakings and sleep disordered-breathing. Disease severity score and CRP levels were not associated with any of the subscale scores. The patients with exertional leg pain had significantly higher total sleep scores than the ones without. Furthermore, patients with exertional leg pain had significantly higher subscale scores regarding sleep onset delay, parasomnias and sleep-disordered breathing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed for the first time that children with FMF had more sleep disturbances than their healthy peers. Higher numbers of attacks and exertional leg pain were associated with poor sleep quality. In conclusion, this study underlines the need to assess and manage sleep problems in children with FMF.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turley.
authors.forename: Balahan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Makay
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serdar Kamer
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kiliçaslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elçin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bora
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Bozkaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tufan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Çankaya
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turley.
authors.forename: Erbil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ünsal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012890:Sleep; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D003078:Colchicine
keywords: familial Mediterranean fever; sleep disturbances; sleep patterns