304 CHILDHOOD ASTHMA: PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ABNORMAL SLLEP

Abstract

Relationships between asthma, disturbed sleep, and daytime cognition and behaviour were explored. Stage one: children, aged 6-16, with nocturnal asthma (NA) (n=10), daytime asthma (DA) (n=10) and healthy controls (HC) (n=10) were compared on the following; sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and behaviour and cognition. Stage two: for NA, home polysomnography on the night before the assessments. Two further sleep recordings and assessments at two and four weeks post successful treatment change.

Results: preliminary results suggest: 1. NA show focal attention, memory and creativity deficits. Higher anxiety and inattention is reported. 2. DA also display focal attention deficits. 3. NA have poor subjective sleep quality and more daytime sleepiness. 4. polysomnography confirms that NA have repeated night waking, the frequency (mean 19.4 (sd 13.1)) per night and duration (mean 34.1 minutes (sd 33.0)) of which diminish after a successful treatment change (mean 2.6 (sd 3.0) and mean 3.0 (sd 4.3) respectively). Slow wave sleep and subjective sleep quality increase. 5. reported anxiety lessens. 6. recall improves. Divergent thinking remains lower than for the control groups. Focal attention, poor in comparison to HC is now comparable to DA. The focal attention deficit in both groups of children with asthma is being investigated.

Conclusion: initial results suggest sleep disturbance experienced by NA has effects on daytime learning and behaviour, some of which can be reversed by management of the nocturnal symptoms.

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