Sleep Disruption After Brain Injury Is Associated With Worse Motor Outcomes and Slower Functional Recovery

Useless, describes a problem, OFFERS NO SOLUTION. 

Absolutely nothing here is going to help with 30% of survivors having sleep problems. Damn it all, solve stroke problems, don't just do useless research.

How long before your hospital quits handing out sleeping pills like candy? 

Do sleeping pills give you proper sleep?

 

 

Sleep Disruption After Brain Injury Is Associated With Worse Motor Outcomes and Slower Functional Recovery

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Melanie K. Fleming, PhD, Tom Smejka, MSc, David Henderson Slater, MRCP, ...

First Published June 7, 2020 Research Article

https://doi.org/10.1177/1545968320929669

Article information

Abstract

Background.
Sleep is important for consolidation of motor learning, but brain injury may affect sleep continuity and therefore rehabilitation outcomes.  
Objective.
This study aims to assess the relationship between sleep quality and motor recovery in brain injury patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation.  
Methods.
Fifty-nine patients with brain injury were recruited from 2 specialist inpatient rehabilitation units. Sleep quality was assessed (up to 3 times) objectively using actigraphy (7 nights) and subjectively using the Sleep Condition Indicator. Motor outcome assessments included Action Research Arm test (upper limb function), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (motor impairment), and the Rivermead Mobility Index. The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was assessed at admission and discharge by the clinical team. Fifty-five age- and gender-matched healthy controls completed one assessment. Results. Inpatients demonstrated lower self-reported sleep quality (P < .001) and more fragmented sleep (P < .001) than controls. For inpatients, sleep fragmentation explained significant additional variance in motor outcomes, over and above that explained by admission FIM score (P < .017), such that more disrupted sleep was associated with poorer motor outcomes. Using stepwise linear regression, sleep fragmentation was the only variable found to explain variance in rate of change in FIM (R²_adj = 0.12, P = .027), whereby more disrupted sleep was associated with slower recovery. Conclusions.
 Inpatients with brain injury demonstrate impaired sleep quality, and this is associated with poorer motor outcomes and slower functional recovery. Further investigation is needed to determine how sleep quality can be improved and whether this affects outcome.

Keywords sleep, brain injury, stroke, motor, recovery, functional independence

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