Blood test may reveal pediatric sleep habits
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Differences in the expression level of circulating microRNAs, assessed via a blood test, are positively associated with total sleep duration among healthy, normal-weight children and adolescents, according to findings published in Experimental Physiology.
“Our findings show, for the first time, that the sleep duration reflects the profile of specific circulating microRNAs in school-aged children and adolescents,” Fabio Lauria, MSc, a researcher with the Institute of Food Sciences at the National Research Council in Rome, said in a press release. “This could allow clinicians to easily determine if children are sleeping enough by using a simple blood test and use this as an indication of other aspects of their health.”
Lauria and colleagues data from 111 healthy, normal-weight children and adolescents from eight European countries participating in the I.Family study. Researchers stratified participants according to self-reported sleep duration. Short sleepers (n = 25; 14 girls; mean age, 12 years) were defined as children sleeping less than 9 hours per day, and adolescents sleeping less than 8 hours per day. Normal sleepers (n = 86; 47 girls; mean age, 12 years) included children sleeping at least 9 hours per day, and adolescents sleeping at least 8 hours per day.
Researchers observed group differences in circulating levels of the microRNA 26b-3p for short sleepers (r = –0.229; P = .058) vs. normal sleepers (r = 0.148; P = .024), as well as differences in circulating levels of the microRNA 485-5p for short sleepers (r = –0.075; P = .303) vs. normal sleepers (r = 0.196; P = .004). Results persisted after adjustment for country of origin, age, sex, pubertal status, screen time and parental education level.
In subgroup analyses, researchers noted that there was no association between the selected microRNAs and sleep characteristics such as snoring, difficulties falling asleep, trouble getting up in the morning and perceived sleep quality. No children and adolescents reported having a “very good” sleep quality.
“The hypothesis-generating study presented here suggested that specific microRNAs are potentially associated with sleep duration in evolutive age,” the researchers wrote. “It is conceivable that epigenetic changes in human genes may be interrelated with sleep duration differences. Further studies are required to explore the functional relevance of the microRNA species identified.” – by Regina Schaffer
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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