0495 Sleep Disturbance Features Differentially Influence Inflammatory Markers in Adolescents

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Sleep disruption has profound effects on immune function. Many adolescents do not get adequate amounts of sleep each night, and chronic sleep disturbance has been associated with increased risk of several inflammatory diseases. However, the relationship between sleep disturbances and inflammation during adolescence is not well understood. In this study, we examined the relationship between specific features of sleep disruption and cytokine levels in adolescents. Methods A total of 88 adolescents (18.36 ± 0.51 years, 56.8% female) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), a self-reported questionnaire used to assess subjective sleep quality over a 1-month time period. Blood plasma samples were obtained for each participant at the same timepoint to measure levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interferon (IFN)-gamma), anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Samples were assayed using a Meso Scale Discovery multiplex immunoassay. Linear regression models were used to test the effect of PSQI sleep latency, duration, efficiency, quality, disturbance, and total score on each cytokine level, while covarying for sex and body mass index. We corrected for multiple comparisons using a False Discovery Rate (FDR) correction. Results Overall, disruption in sleep was associated with distinct cytokine differences. Worse sleep, reflected by the PSQI total score and greater sleep disturbance, was associated with lower IL-6 levels (p=0.013, p=0.015, respectively), however theses associations were attenuated to a trend after FDR correction (q=0.083, q=0.092, respectively). Longer sleep latency was also associated with lower IL-6 (p=0.028), and IFN (p=0.016) levels, however these effects were also attenuated after FDR correction (q=0.138, q=0.094, respectively). Reduced sleep efficiency was associated with higher TNF (q=0.046) and CRP (q=0.021) levels. Conclusion Our findings show that different components of sleep disruption have varying effects on cytokine release, resulting in an overall blunted immune response. This underscores the significant impact of sleep disturbances on perturbing immune function during this critical developmental period. Support (If Any)