In a nutshell
This study investigated the impact of sleep disorders (SD) on the physical recovery of patients with stroke. Researchers suggested that SDs negatively affect the physical recovery of stroke survivors.
Some background
Stroke affects more than 795,000 every year in the US. It consists of a blockage of blood flow to the brain that can be due to a blood clot or a burst blood vessel.
Sleep is essential for health and quality of life. An SD is both a risk factor and a consequence of stroke. Around 40 to 92% of stroke survivors have an SD. During sleep, the body recovers and learns from rehabilitation treatments. SDs in stroke survivors might lead to mental problems such as anxiety and depression. This makes rehabilitation more challenging.
Prior studies showed that stroke survivors with SDs have worse outcomes than the ones who do not. These patients are also more dependent, have longer hospital stays, and poorer quality of life. However, other studies are contradictory showing no different outcomes between patients with and without SD. Therefore, how SDs affect the rehabilitation of stroke survivors remains unclear.
Methods & findings
This study reviewed 33 other studies with information about stroke survivors with SDs. Recovery rate and performance of daily activities were evaluated.
The recovery rate was poorer in patients with stroke and an SD when compared to patients without SDs. The performance of daily living activities and movement rate were lower in patients with stroke and SD when compared to patients without SDs.
The bottom line
This study concluded that SDs affect the physical recovery of patients with stroke.
The fine print
The studies analyzed were different. The definitions of SDs were different among studies. This might have affected the results.
Published By :
Neurorehabilitation and neural repair
Date :
Nov 09, 2020
