Parental survey of the sleep patterns and screen time in US school children during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: This study compared sleep duration, screen exposure and sleep quality in school-aged children before COVID-19 to that during school closures and again when schools re-opened in fall 2020. METHODS: Cross-sectional anonymous, online survey of parents of children 5-13 years old. Questions elicited information about sleep timing and quality, screen time, and schooling at three distinct periods: before the pandemic, when schools first closed and then re-opened in the fall. RESULTS: Respondents described 101 children who were an average of 8.5 years old and 51% male. In lockdown, children slept 25 min more (95%CI 00:13-00:38) due to later wake times (75 min, 95% CI 0:57-1:34) with later bedtimes (29 min, 95%CI 0:00-0:58). When schools re-opened, sleep duration returned to pre-pandemic levels, but sleep onset and offset times remained later. Despite more sleep, sleep quality and habits (e.g. bedtime refusal) worsened during lockdown and did not normalize in fall 2020. During lockdown, screen time increased in 65% of all children, and 96% of those in private schools. When schools reopened, 78% of children in hybrid/virtual learning had more than 4 h of screen exposure daily. Less screen time was associated with twofold higher odds of better sleep (OR 2.66, 95%CI 1.15-6.14). CONCLUSIONS: Although school-aged children had more total sleep when schools were closed, sleep quality and habits worsened. Upon return to school, sleep times and quality did not normalize and were linked to screen time.

Association between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and bone mineral density in adult orthodontic populations.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and predicted bone mineral density (BMD) in adults presenting for orthodontic treatment. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 38 adults divided into OSAS and non-OSAS groups. Using pre-treatment CBCT images, radiographic density (RD) of left and right lateral regions of the 1st cervical vertebrae and dens of the 2nd cervical vertebrae were measured as an indicator for BMD. RESULTS: When controlling for age, sex, and BMI, the mean RD was significantly lower in the OSAS group compared to the non-OSAS group (left CV1: 36.69 ± 84.50 vs. 81.67 ± 93.25 Hounsfield Units [HU], respectively, p = 0.031; right CV1: 30.59 ± 81.18 vs. 74.26 ± 91.81 HU, p = 0.045; dens: 159.25 ± 115.96 vs. 223.94 ± 106.09 HU, p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: Adults with OSAS have lower values for predicted BMD than those without OSAS.

COVID-19 presenting as pneumatoceles and spontaneous cavitary lesion as a late complication.

We report a case of an adult patient with COVID-19 pneumonia presenting as pneumatoceles as a late complication. These pneumatoceles are steroid-resistant and can predispose to cavitary lesions. These cystic lesions need close follow-up with repeat imaging as these can increase the risk of pneumothorax. It can take up to around 12 weeks for the spontaneous resolution of pneumatoceles.