Sleep Patterns, Pain, and Emotional Functioning in Youth with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Objective: Youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be at increased risk for sleep difficulties due to the painful and inflammatory nature of their disease. Moreover, children and adolescents with IBD experience impairment across a variety of psychosocial domains. However, researchers have yet to investigate the complex interplay between sleep, disease-related symptoms, and psychosocial factors in this population. The purpose of this study was to examine sleep patterns, pain, and mood in pediatric IBD. Methods: A sample of 25 children and adolescents with IBD (Mage = 14.24, Range = 10-18 years; 56% male) were recruited from a pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Youth wore an actigraphy watch and completed daily measures of affect and pain over the course of 14 days. Statistical analyses involved repeated measures general estimating equations. Results: No significant association for sleep with negative affect was demonstrated. Despite majority of this sample being in disease remission, results revealed that increased sleep onset latency was associated with presence of next day pain and pain was associated with better next night sleep efficiency. Conclusions: Findings of the current study suggest youth with IBD experience poor sleep quality, which is significantly related to the pain they experience. Consequently, healthcare providers should screen for and address sleep quality to optimize outcomes in their pediatric patients. Objectively assessing sleep patterns (e.g., actigraphy) may prove useful for pediatric IBD samples; however, additional research is needed to determine actigraphy's feasibility and efficacy in assessing sleep patterns in real world settings (e.g., pediatric medical clinics).

Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Dominate Pediatric Gastroenterology Outpatient Practice.

OBJECTIVES: Symptom-based diagnostic criteria have improved recognition and standardization of pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). We used Rome 3 diagnostic criteria to determine the prevalence of FGIDs in pediatric gastroenterology clinic. In the process, we developed a diagnostic questionnaire for infants and toddlers. METHODS: We enrolled new patients ≤18 years referred during 19 months to a pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Subjects or parents completed a demographic survey and a the Questionnaire on Pediatric Gastrointestinal symptoms, Rome 3 Version (if ≥4 years, or a new infant-toddler questionnaire) before their appointment. RESULTS: We acquired data from 976 subjects: 476 boys, 592 white. Of 332 subjects <4 years, 172 (52%) met diagnostic criteria for ≥1 FGIDs. Of 644 subjects ≥4 years, 486 (75%) met diagnostic criteria for ≥1 FGIDs. Thirty one (9%) subjects <4 years and 170 (26%) subjects ≥4 years met the criteria for ≥2 FGIDs. Of the total sample of subjects <4 years, common FGIDs included functional constipation (29%), infant regurgitation (13%), and cyclic vomiting syndrome (10%). Of the total sample of subjects ≥4 years, common FGIDs included irritable bowel syndrome (36%), abdominal migraine (19%), functional constipation (17%), cyclic vomiting syndrome (8%), functional abdominal pain syndrome (7%), aerophagia (7%), and functional dyspepsia (7%). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of new pediatric gastrointestinal clinic patients met the Rome 3 criteria for ≥1 FGIDs. Satisfying the criteria may facilitate diagnosis on the first visit.