Association of sleep disturbances with poor asthma control in children

Background: Asthma is a prevalent chronic condition in children and has been associated with sleep disturbances. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of sleep disturbances in children with asthma and to identify the clinical predictors of impaired sleep quality. Methods: The study included children aged 6–16 years with asthma who were followed at the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Department of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital. A control group of participants with comparable age and demographic characteristics and without any history of chronic, allergic, or psychiatric conditions was also recruited. Sleep disturbances were assessed using the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC), while asthma control was evaluated using the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) or ACT. Asthma severity and treatment steps were categorized according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). Results: A total of 210 children diagnosed with asthma (mean age: 11.2 ± 3.4 years; 54.3% male) were included in the study. According to the SDSC, 45.2% of children with asthma had clinically significant sleep disturbances. Compared to healthy controls (n = 199), asthmatic children had significantly higher total SDSC scores [63 (IQR: 50–74) vs. 53 (46–61); p < 0.001] and all subscale scores (p < 0.001). Among asthmatic children, poor asthma control, GINA Step ≥3 treatment, and asthma exacerbations within the last six months were significantly associated with sleep disturbances. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, ACT/C-ACT scores were identified as independent predictors of sleep disturbance, with higher scores associated with lower odds of sleep disturbance (OR: 0.20; 95% CI: 0.11–0.35; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Poor asthma control was strongly associated with sleep impairment. Routine assessment of sleep quality could support asthma management in pediatric populations.