Self-reported sleep disturbances and its determinants in people 1 year or more after stroke: A cross-sectional study.
Hanna M Nilsson, Maria Kähler, Lina Rosengren and 2 others
PMID 39992070WHAT IT FOUND
More than half of stroke survivors reported sleep disturbances over a year after their stroke.
Women and those using mobility devices reported significantly worse sleep. Factors like age, time since stroke, and stroke location were not linked to sleep quality, suggesting these disturbances persist long-term in specific groups.
Key findings
0153% of participants scored 6 or more on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, indicating sleep disturbances.
02Being a woman and using mobility devices were the only significant factors associated with higher sleep disturbance scores in the final model.
03Sleep disturbances were not significantly associated with age, time since stroke, stroke type, location, treatment, or comorbidities.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study had a low response rate (53%) and included only one hospital in northern Sweden, which may limit how well the results apply to other populations. The design was cross-sectional, so it cannot determine if the sleep disturbances were caused by the stroke or other factors, nor can it track changes in sleep over time for individuals. Participants were generally well-recovered and living at home, so the results may not apply to patients with more severe disabilities or those in institutional care. Pre-stroke sleep quality was not assessed, so it is unclear if the reported disturbances are new or pre-existing.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the Norrbotten County Council.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that sleep disturbances improve over time or are linked to specific stroke types. This study found no association between sleep quality and time since stroke or stroke characteristics, suggesting these issues can persist for years and require direct screening rather than being inferred from medical history.