Risk Factors in Acute Stroke Patients With and Without Sleep Apnea

Development of insomnia in patients with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Stroke is a serious threat to human life and health, and post-stroke insomnia is one of the common complications severely impairing patients' quality of life and delaying recovery. Early understanding of the relationship between stroke and post-stroke insomnia can provide clinical evidence for preventing and treating post-stroke insomnia. This study was to investigate the prevalence of insomnia in patients with stroke.

METHODS

The Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were used to obtain the eligible studies until June 2023. The quality assessment was performed to extract valid data for meta-analysis. The prevalence rates were used a random-efect. I2 statistics were used to assess the heterogeneity of the studies.

RESULTS

Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis, with 1,193,659 participants, of which 497,124 were patients with stroke.The meta-analysis indicated that 150,181 patients with stroke developed insomnia during follow-up [46.98%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 36.91-57.18] and 1806 patients with ischemic stroke (IS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) developed insomnia (47.21%, 95% CI: 34.26-60.36). Notably, 41.51% of patients with the prevalence of nonclassified stroke developed insomnia (95% CI: 28.86-54.75). The incidence of insomnia was significantly higher in patients with acute strokes than in patients with nonacute strokes (59.16% vs 44.07%, P < 0.0001).Similarly, the incidence of insomnia was significantly higher in the patients with stroke at a mean age of ≥65 than patients with stroke at a mean age of <65 years (47.18% vs 40.50%, P < 0.05). Fifteen studies reported the follow-up time. The incidence of insomnia was significantly higher in the follow-up for ≥3 years than follow-up for <3 years (58.06% vs 43.83%, P < 0.05). Twenty-one studies used the Insomnia Assessment Diagnostic Tool, and the rate of insomnia in patients with stroke was 49.31% (95% CI: 38.59-60.06). Five studies used self-reporting, that the rate of insomnia in patients with stroke was 37.58% (95% CI: 13.44-65.63).

CONCLUSIONS

Stroke may be a predisposing factor for insomnia. Insomnia is more likely to occur in acute-phase stroke, and the prevalence of insomnia increases with patient age and follow-up time. Further, the rate of insomnia is higher in patients with stroke who use the Insomnia Assessment Diagnostic Tool.

Sleep Disorders in Acute Stroke

Background

Stroke patients have sleep-wake disorders, mostly in form of insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness/fatigue, or hypersomnia (increased sleep needs).

Objective

The aim of this study was to analyze types of sleep disorder (SD) and their frequency in patients with sleep apnea and acute stroke in relation to the type of stroke and side of lesion.

Methods

The study analyzed 110 patients with sleep apnea and acute stroke hospitalized in the Clinic of Neurology, University Clinical Centre Tuzla. Acute stroke has been verified either by computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain. SD was verified according to the Berlin Questionnaire Test, The Epworth Sleepiness Scale, The Stanford Sleepiness Scale and the General sleep questionnaire. Strokes were divided by: a) type, into hemorrhagic and ischemic, and b) the localization of the stroke, to right and left cerebral hemispheres.

Results

Of the total number of respondents, all had some sleep disorder. 20% of respondents had severe level of SD, 35.4% moderate, 37.3% moderate- severe and 7.3% mild problems. There were no statistically significant differences in the frequency of SD among patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke (p = 0.58). In relation to the side of lesion, there was more patient with SD and stroke in the both sides, but there were no statistically significant differences (X²=1.98, p=0.161). According Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Stanford Sleepiness Scale and Berlin Questionnaire test snoring was present in 81% and daytime sleepiness in all patients.

Conclusion

SD as a neuropsychological disorder has a significant incidence in the acute phase of stroke in patients with sleep apnea. Sleep disorder is more common in ischemic stroke and stroke in the both hemisphere, but it is not statistically significant difference. Daytime sleepiness, fatigue and snoring are the most common sleep problems in patients with acute stroke and apnea, but it is not statistically significant.