Evaluation of sleep hygiene and prevalence of sleep disorders in patients with monosymptomatic enuresis. Usefulness of the BEARS sleep screening tool.

Objectives: To analyze if there is a higher prevalence of sleep disturbances and hygiene disorders in patients with monosymptomatic enuresis (MEN) with respect to general population and to patients with corrected MEN. Assess the usefulness of the BEARS sleep disorder screening tool for children with MEN.

Material And Methods: Transverse observational study (n=341) classified as: MEN (n=122), corrected MEN (≥ 1 one year without recurrence) (ANTENUR) (n=47) and controls (n=172). The BEARS childhood sleep disorder screening questionnaire was used. Clinical variables were collected, as well as variables related to sleep hygiene.

Statistics: Chi-square, Student's t, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis. Significance p<.05.

Results: Mean age 9.7±3.0 years. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of age, sex, BMI, history of tonsillectomy, asthma and sleep time hours. With respect to sleep hygiene, patients with MEN presented a higher percentage of alterations than controls. As for the BEARS questionnaire, it showed a higher prevalence of sleep disorders in the group of patients with MEN, with respect to the other two groups: 60.7% (n=74) versus 18.6% (n=32) and 38.3% (n=18) of controls and ANTENUR, respectively (p<.05).

Conclusions: Children with MEN had a higher prevalence of sleep disturbances and sleep disorders than controls. The BEARS questionnaire is a useful clinical tool in the detection of sleep disorders in children.