Change of Sleep Stage during Gastroesophageal Reflux in Infants.

INTRODUCTION

This study intended to explore the existence of a temporal association of changes of sleep stage and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in infants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Documentation of sleep stage and GER was conducted via the use of synchronized polygraphic recording combined with impedance-pH-metry in 15 infants. The total recording-time (Rt) was divided into GER-"window-time" (five seconds before and after the onset of a GER episode), "remaining GER time", and "GER-free time", and analyzed for changes of sleep stage.

RESULTS

a total of 462 GER episodes were identified during Rt (151.1 h) in all infants. During 1.3 h of window-time; 61 changes of sleep stage (47/h); during 5.9 h of Remaining GER-time, 139 changes of sleep stage (24/h); and during 143.9 h of GER-free time, 4087 changes of sleep stage (28/h) were documented. Change of sleep stage was strongly associated with the onset of GER ( < 0.02 and < 0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a strong temporal association between sleep irregularities, i.e., changes of sleep and episodes of GER in infants. When dealing with disturbed sleep in infants, GER should be considered by caregivers.