A Cross-Sectional Study of Sleep Disturbances in Children and Adolescents With Abdominal Pain-Associated Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction

Abstract

The aims of the current study were to determine the frequencies of specific sleep disturbances in youth with abdominal pain-associated disorders of gut-brain interaction (AP-DGBIs) and to assess relationships with psychological dysfunction. This was a retrospective evaluation of 226 consecutive patients diagnosed with an AP-DGBI. All had undergone a systematic evaluation of gastrointestinal symptoms, the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children, and the Behavior Assessment System for Children. Disorders of initiation and maintenance of sleep (DIMS; 40%) and disorders of excessive daytime somnolence (DOES; 14%) were each present in more than 10% of the patients. Both DIMS and DOES scores were more likely to be elevated in patients with anxiety and/or depression scores in the at-risk or elevated-risk ranges. Sleep disorders are common in youth with AP-DGBIs and are associated with anxiety and depression, even in those patients with anxiety and depression in the at-risk range.