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.