Two nights of home polysomnography in healthy 7-14-year-old children – Feasibility and intraindividual variability

Abstract

ObjectiveAttended polysomnography (PSG) is the gold standard for childhood sleep evaluation. There is, however, only limited information regarding repeated ambulatory PSG in children. We aimed to test whether in hospital attached level 2 home PSG is feasible and reproducible in healthy children. MethodsWe recruited healthy children aged 7-14 years to undergo two nights of full level 2 PSG. The PSG equipment was attached at the hospital on the day of the sleep test and all recordings were performed at home. Subjective sleep quality, nocturnal urine production, sleep time and number of awakenings were documented for a week in connection to the first PSG night. ResultsThirty-three children were recruited of whom 32 children (aged 11 ± 2.1 years) underwent two nights of PSG. All 64 PSGs were technically adequate for sleep evaluation. We found mean sleep efficiency of 94% and mean total sleep time of 8.4 h. Sleep stages distribution with 5.9% N1, 46.8% N2, 24.3% N3 and 22.8% REM sleep. We found poorer subjective sleep quality, more self-reported awakenings, and shorter total sleep time on nights with PSG compared to nights without PSG with no differences between PSG study nights. No differences in nocturnal urine production were found between nights with and without PSG. The comparison of PSG variables between the two PSG nights revealed no first night effect. ConclusionsType 2 PSG recording is feasible for sleep evaluation in children 7–14 years of age producing good data quality. We found no first night effect on PSG variables.www.clinicaltrials.gov Registration number: NCT03477812.