Poor sleep shows cardiovascular links in adolescents

Oct 11 2012

By Lucy Piper, Senior medwireNews Reporter

Sleep disturbance in healthy adolescents is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease in later life, research suggests.

"We found an association between sleep disturbance and cardiovascular risk in adolescents, as determined by high cholesterol levels, increased BMI [body mass index], and hypertension," Brian McCrindle (University of Toronto, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario, Canada) and colleagues report.

"Intervention strategies to optimize sleep hygiene early in life may be important for the prevention of cardiovascular disease."

The team obtained data on 4104 adolescents participating in the Health Heart Schools' Program. Cardiometabolic risk factors were measured and the participants completed questionnaires on sleep habits and nutritional status.

In total, 19.6% of the adolescents reported their sleep quality, as measured on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, as fairly bad or very bad on weeknights and 10.0% reported it as fairly bad or very bad on weekends. Of the participants, 5.0% reported using sleep medication.

After taking into account lifestyle factors, gender, family history of premature cardiovascular disease in first degree relatives, and adiposity, a high (at least 9 out of a possible 45) versus a low (0-3) sleep disturbance score was associated with a significant 1.43-fold greater risk for being at high cardiovascular risk.

Indeed, patients with a high sleep disturbance score had a significant 1.44-fold greater risk for hypertension and a 1.2-fold greater risk for elevated non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol. They were also more likely than their peers with nondisturbed sleep to be obese, at an average of 21.8% versus 18.7%.

The mean duration of sleep did not appear to be associated with cardiovascular outcomes, however.

The researchers note in the CMAJ that a higher sleep disturbance score was associated with higher consumption of fried food, soft drinks, sweets, snacks, caffeinated beverages, reduced physical activity, and increased screen time.

"Future research is needed to dissect the relative influences of sleep curtailment from sleep disruption on different health outcomes," says the team.

"Interventional studies will be necessary to explore the efficacy of optimizing sleep quality, sleep duration and nutrition during adolescence on cardiovascular risk."

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