Assessment of Sleep Disorders in Children with Transfusion-Dependent Hemoglobinopathies

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare sleep problems between children with transfusion-dependent hemoglobinopathies and healthy controls.Methods: This study was a case-control survey of children with transfusion-dependent hemoglobinopathies. The sample consisted of 175 children in the patient group and 175 healthy children in the control group, with an age range of 8 to 18 years. Subjects were recruited from the Children’s Hospital of Mansoura University between February and July 2022. Children with transfusion-dependent hemoglobinopathies received consultations at the Department of Pediatric Hematology. The Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) was used to evaluate sleep problems in both groups.Results: The mean age of the patient group was 11.22±2.39 years, and 52.57% (n=92) were girls. The control group had a mean age of 11.30±2.16 years, and 50.86% (n=89) were boys. The overall score (<i>P</i>=0.007) and the night waking (<i>P</i>=0.013), sleep duration (<i>P</i>=0.009), and sleep-disordered breathing (<i>P</i>=0.029) subscores were all substantially and statistically significantly higher in children with transfusion-dependent hemoglobinopathies than in healthy children.Conclusion: As children with transfusion-dependent hemoglobinopathies have more sleep problems than healthy children, more detailed studies are needed.