Subjective and objective assessments of sleep problems in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the effects of methylphenidate treatmentAt a glance of commentary

Wei-Chih Chin; Yu-Shu Huang; Ya-Hsin Chou; Chih-Huan Wang; Kuang-Tai Chen; Jen Fu Hsu; Shih-Chieh Hsu

Biomedical Journal (Dec 2018)

Subjective and objective assessments of sleep problems in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the effects of methylphenidate treatmentAt a glance of commentary

Wei-Chih Chin,
Yu-Shu Huang,
Ya-Hsin Chou,
Chih-Huan Wang,
Kuang-Tai Chen,
Jen Fu Hsu,
Shih-Chieh Hsu

Affiliations

Wei-Chih Chin: Division of Pediatric Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Yu-Shu Huang: Division of Pediatric Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Craniofacial Research Center and Sleep Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Corresponding author. Department of Child Psychiatry and Sleep Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, 5, Fusing St., Gueishan, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
Ya-Hsin Chou: Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Chih-Huan Wang: Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Zhejiang, China
Kuang-Tai Chen: Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Jen Fu Hsu: Division of Pediatric Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Shih-Chieh Hsu: Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 41, no. 6
pp. 356 – 363

Abstract

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Background: to investigate the sleep problems in children with different ADHD presentations and effects of methylphenidate (MPH) on the sleep problems of children with ADHD by both subjective and objective measurements. Methods: 71 children with ADHD and 30 controls were included. 35 had ADHD with predominantly inattentive presentation (ADHD-I) and 36 with predominantly hyperactive/impulsive or combined presentation (ADHD-C). We used the pediatric sleep questionnaire (PSQ) and a nocturnal polysomnography (PSG) to assess the sleep problems in children with ADHD before and 6 months after being treated with methylphenidate (0.3–0.7 mg/kg/dose). Results: PSG showed significantly higher apnea-hypopnea index and hypopnea counts, and lower slow-wave sleep percentage in children with ADHD. The results of PSQ reported by parents showed significantly higher rates of delay initiation of sleep, sleep onset latency, sleep fragment, daytime sleepiness, enuresis, bruxism, nightmares, periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), and snoring in children with ADHD compared to normal controls. Comparisons of ADHD presentations revealed no significant difference between ADHD-I and ADHD-C by either PSG or PSQ measurements. After 6-month MPH treatment, the PSG showed significantly increased total sleep time and reduced periodic limb movement index (PLMI). The PSQ indicated significant reduction in bruxism and snoring in ADHD-I, as well as nightmares in ADHD-C, and both subgroups showed significant reduction in PLMD. Conclusion: subjective and objective approaches produced inconsistent findings regarding the sleep problems in children with ADHD. Besides, MPH didn't worsen the sleep problems in children with ADHD. Keywords: Methylphenidate, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, ADHD subtypes, Sleep disorders, Pediatric sleep questionnaire, Polysomnography

Published in Biomedical Journal

ISSN: 2319-4170 (Print); 2320-2890 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Medicine (General); Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/biomedical-journal

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