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Sleep patterns in intensive care unit patients: a study using the bispectral index.
T Nicholson1, J Patel, J W Sleigh
1Intensive Care Unit, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Summary
Intensive care unit (ICU) patients exhibit abnormal sleep patterns, even with minimal sedation. While some show cyclical slow-wave sleep, traditional electroencephalogram (EEG) staging is inadequate for ICU environments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Critical Care Medicine
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Sleep disturbances are common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
- Objective sleep assessment in ICUs is challenging due to patient condition and monitoring limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To objectively record sleep patterns in ICU patients using the Bispectral Index (BIS) as an electroencephalographic measure.
- To correlate sleep patterns with clinical factors in recovering ICU patients.
Main Methods:
- Adult ICU patients in the recovery phase with minimal sedation were enrolled.
- Overnight recordings of Bispectral Index and submental electromyogram were used to examine sleep patterns.
Main Results:
- Twenty-seven adult patients were studied in a tertiary general ICU.
- No patient exhibited a completely normal sleep pattern.
- Approximately 50% of patients displayed cyclical periods of slow-wave sleep (40-90 minutes), approaching normal patterns.
Conclusions:
- Traditional electroencephalogram (EEG) sleep staging classifications are insufficient for describing sleep in ICU patients.
- The Bispectral Index offers a valuable electroencephalographic measure for assessing sleep in this population.