Sleep pathology characterization in sickle cell disease: Case–control study

Summary Background Children and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) have a higher incidence of sleep pathology and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The nocturnal hypoxemia is a risk to vaso‐occlusive crisis among other SCD morbidities. Our aim was to compare polysomnography (PSG) results in a sample of children with SCD with a sample of children with suspected OSAS without SCD. Design and Methods A retrospective study compared clinical and PSG parameters. A descriptive analysis and t ‐test were done considering P  < 0.05 as significant. Results PSG was done in 65 children with SCD and 65 control‐children. Control sample was selected to be equal to SCD sample considering gender (53.8% were male), age (mean age was 9.4 years (SD ± 4.6) and AHI (mean 3.57 events/hr). Mean efficiency, latency and percentage of sleep phases in both groups showed no statistically significant differences. Mean SpO 2 and minimum SpO 2 were lower in SCD group and it was statistically significant ( P  < 0.01). Enuresis was more frequent in the SCD children group (35.4% vs. 6.2%, P  < 0.01). Conclusion Comparing children with and without SCD, sleep architecture was similar in both groups and minimum SpO 2 was significantly lower in SCD children although both groups had a similar AHI. This is an important issue in these children, so it is essential to have a sleep evaluation in order to prevent complications and co‐morbidities. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:396–401. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.