Screen time and pulmonary function in hospitalized children with cystic fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between screen time (ST) and lung function in hospitalized children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF).

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of 45 children with CF in the 0- to 17-year age bracket admitted to a public hospital in southern Brazil. ST during hospitalization was measured by means of a recall diary. Questionnaires were used in order to collect data on screen use and personal data. Data on lung function, nutrition, bacteriology, and the Shwachman-Kulczycki clinical score were obtained from patient medical records.

RESULTS

Of the study participants, 51.1% were male, with a median age of 9 years, and 80% were White. The mean FEV1 (Z-score) was -2.9 ± 1.9, and FEV1 (in % of predicted) was 63.7 ± 22.3. The median ST was 315 min, and 95.5% of the study participants exceeded the recommended ST. The most prevalent reasons for using electronic devices during hospitalization were boredom and lack of other activities. In a multivariate analysis, ST (the dependent variable) was significantly associated with age (b = 26.591; 95% CI, 14.695-38.487), time spent watching television at home (b = 0.686; 95% CI, 0.304-1.069), and FEV1 Z-score (b = -60.631; 95% CI, -115.399 to -5.864).

CONCLUSIONS

Excess ST appears to be associated with worse lung function in hospitalized children with CF, as do older age and longer periods of time spent watching television at home.