Sleep quality and depression in mothers of children with epilepsy and its relation to their children's sleep.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sleep disturbances in children with epilepsy (CWE) and maternal sleep quality and depression severity.

METHODS

A Cross-sectional study was conducted in pediatric sleep disturbances using questionnaires on mother-reported sleep of CWE [Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ)], maternal sleep quality [Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)], and maternal depression status [Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS)]. 114 dyads consisting of CWE and their mothers were included in this study.

RESULTS

Over three-quarters (78.9 %) of mothers reported poor sleep quality (total PSQI score ≥ 5), and nearly a third (29.8 %) met clinical criteria for moderate or severe depression levels. The mothers' total PSQI scores were between 5.93 ± 2.44 (range: 2-16 points). The most affected PSQI subcomponents were sleep latency (AUC = 0.826p < 0.001) and daytime dysfunction (AUC = 0.800p < 0.001). The majority of children (88.6 %) were stated by their mothers to have sleep-related problems. The total CSHQ scores of the children were between 49.06 ± 9.20 (range: 33-86 points). The most affected CSHQ subcomponents were detected sleep anxiety (AUC = 0.856, p < 0.001), bedtime resistance (AUC = 0.818, p < 0.001) and daytime sleepiness (AUC = 0.807, p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between maternal sleep quality and depression severity (rho = 0.842; p < 0.001). A statistically significant positive moderate correlation was detected between sleep problems in CWE and maternal sleep quality and depression severity (rho = 0.406; p < 0.001, rho = 0.399; p < 0.001, respectively). As a result of multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis, the presence of seizures during sleep and generalized epileptiform discharges on electroencephalography were associated risk factors with poor maternal sleep quality (OR:6.6, p = 0.014; OR:11.5, p = 0.018, respectively). A borderline insignificant relationship was observed between a less than 50 % decrease in seizure frequency and the poor maternal sleep quality (OR:20.59p = 0.059). Seizures during sleep was associated risk factor with children's sleep disturbances (OR:7.2, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Sleep problems in CWE may lead to negative consequences such as sleep quality and/or depression in mothers. Interventions planned to correct sleep disturbances in mothers suggest that children's sleep problems should be optimally managed.