Sleep, memory, and learning in off-pump coronary artery bypass patients

Digital assistance systems in the field of incontinence care for individuals in need of long-term care (EASY): study protocol of a stratified randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

In general, urinary and faecal incontinence is a multifaceted problem that is associated with increasing burdens for those affected, a massive impairment of quality of life and economic consequences. Incontinence is associated with a high level of shame, which in particular reduces the self-esteem of those being incontinent and leads to additional vulnerability. Those affected by incontinence often perceive incontinence and the care they receiveas humiliating, hence they can no longer control their own urination; nursing care and cleansing support then lead to additional dependency. People with incontinence in need of care not uncommonly experience a poor communication and many taboos surrounding the issue as well as the use of force when incontinence products are changed.

AIMS AND METHODS

This RCT aims to validate the benefits of using a digital assistance system to optimise incontinence care and to enable statements concerning the effect of the assistance technology on nursing and social structures and processes as well as on the quality of life from the perspective of the person in need of care. In a two-arm, stratified, randomised, controlled interventional study, primarily incontinence-affected residents of four inpatient nursing facilities will be examined (n = 80). One intervention group will be equipped with a sensor-based digital assistance system, which will transmit care-related information to the nursing staff (via smartphone). The collected data will be compared to the data of the control group. Primary endpoints are falls occurring; secondary endpoints are quality of life and sleep, sleep disturbances and material consumption. In addition, nursing staff (n = 15-20) will be interviewed regarding the effects, experience, acceptance and satisfaction.

DISCUSSION

The RCT aims at the applicability and effect of assistance technologies on nursing structures and processes. It is assumed that, amongst other things, this technology may lead to a reduction of unnecessary checks and material changes, an improvement of life quality, an avoidance of sleep disturbances and thus an improvement of sleep quality as well as to a reduced risk of falling for people with incontinence in need of care. The further development of incontinence care systems is of social interest as this offers the prospect of improving the quality of care for nursing home residents with incontinence.

TRAIL REGISTRATION

Approval of the RCT is granted by the Ethics Committee at the University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg (Reg.-Nr.: HSNB/190/22). This RCT is registered at the German Clinical Trials Register on July 8^th, 2022, under the identification number DRKS00029635.

Sleep patterns and potential risk factors for disturbed sleep quality in patients after surgery for infective endocarditis

Background

The current study aimed to investigate the sleep quality of patients after valve replacement surgery due to infective endocarditis and identify risk factors for disturbed sleep post hospitalisation.

Methods

Eighty patients were assessed postoperatively using subjective scale measures, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and the Epworth sleepiness scale, and an objective measure, actigraphy. Scale measures were assessed approximately 2 weeks and 6 months after surgery. Actigraphy monitoring was performed for 2 consecutive weeks during hospitalisation. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for disturbed sleep.

Results

The study population (n = 80) had an average age of 42.8 ± 14.2 years, and 67.5% were male. The median sleep efficiency was 85.3% in week 1 and 86.8% in week 2. The frequency of awakenings was significantly higher in week 1 (20.0 times vs. 19.3 times, p = 0.017). The scale measures showed significant improvement in sleep by 6 months after surgery compared to that during hospitalisation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis suggested that the possible risk factors for disturbed sleep 6 months after surgery included age (OR = 1.479, 95%CI 1.140–1.920) and a few parameters of early postoperative disturbed sleep quality (PSQI: OR = 2.921, 95%CI 1.431–5.963; sleep efficiency: OR = 0.402, 95%CI 0.206–0.783; and average duration of awakenings: OR = 0.006, 95%CI 0.000–0.827).

Conclusions

Disturbed sleep quality was witnessed in postoperative patients during hospitalisation and up to 6 months after surgery. Over time, the patients’ sleep quality improved significantly. Age and a few early postoperative sleep quality variables were risk factors for disturbed sleep 6 months after surgery.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13019-022-01828-4.

Sleep and nursing care activities in an intensive care unit

This study aimed to describe the quality of sleep of non-intubated patients and the night-time nursing care activities in an intensive care unit. The study also aimed to evaluate the effect of nursing care activities on the quality of sleep. An overnight polysomnography was performed in 21 alert, non-intubated, non-sedated adult patients, and all nursing care activities that involved touching the patient were documented by the bedside nurse. The median (interquartile range) amount of sleep was 387 (170, 486) minutes. The portion of deep non-rapid-eye-movement (non-REM) sleep varied from 0% to 42% and REM sleep from 0% to 65%. The frequency of arousals and awakenings varied from two to 73 per hour. The median amount of nursing care activities was 0.6/h. Every tenth activity presumably awakened the patient. Patients who had more care activities had more light N1 sleep, less light N2 sleep, and less deep sleep. Nursing care was often performed while patients were awake. However, only 31% of the intervals between nursing care activities were over 90 min. More attention should be paid to better clustering of care activities.

Evaluating adult patients' sleep: an integrative literature review in critical care

BACKGROUND

Patients in a critical care unit sleep quite poorly even when they appear to be sleeping. Sleep is light and fragmented. Acute lack of sleep causes patients suffering in the form of fatigue, irritability, disorientation and hallucinations. It may also affect their recovery and immune defence. To promote sleep, nurses must be able to evaluate patients' sleep reliably.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to form a comprehensive overview of the sleep evaluation methods in critical care. Our objectives were to determine the content and the quality of the methods as reported by the researchers. This overview hopefully improves the use of the sleep evaluation methods as part of sleep promoting nursing interventions and practices.

METHOD

The literature search was performed from the Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, an 'All EBM Reviews', and PsycINFO databases. The search terms sleep, evaluating sleep and critical care were used. An integrative review method was used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

According to the 52 articles of this review, there is a wide variety of methods to evaluate patients' sleep in critical care by observation, by asking for patient's own perception and by objective measures. Most instruments evaluate only total sleep time or the quality of sleep in general. The validity and reliability of the instruments has been insufficiently reported. Some questionnaires for patients' perception have been tested and used in several studies.

CONCLUSION

Sleep evaluation instruments do not cover all dimensions of sleep since they mostly measure total sleep time or estimate the overall quality of sleep. The quality of the sleep evaluation instruments varies from scientifically tested tools to untested instruments. This review will allow nurses to recognise the strengths and limitations of sleep evaluation instruments when selecting one to be used in critical care. Valid information about patients' sleep enables nurses to facilitate it.

Actigraphy for measurement of sleep and sleep-wake rhythms in relation to surgery

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Patients undergoing surgery have severe sleep and sleep-wake rhythm disturbances resulting in increased morbidity. Actigraphy is a tool that can be used to quantify these disturbances. The aim of this manuscript was to present the literature where actigraphy has been used to measure sleep and sleep-wake rhythms in relation to surgery.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed in 3 databases (Medline, Embase, and Psycinfo), including all literature until July 2012.

RESULTS

Thirty-two studies were included in the review. Actigraphy could demonstrate that total sleep time and sleep efficiency was reduced after surgery and number of awakenings was increased in patients undergoing major surgery. Disturbances were less severe in patients undergoing minor surgery. Actigraphy could be used to differentiate between delirious and non-delirious patients after major surgery. Actigraphy measurements could determine a differential effect of surgery based on the patient's age. The effect of pharmacological interventions (chronobiotics and hypnotics) in surgical patients could also be demonstrated by actigraphy.

CONCLUSION

Actigraphy can be used to measure sleep and sleep-wake rhythms in patients undergoing surgery.

A systematic review of sleep patterns and factors that disturb sleep after heart surgery

BACKGROUND

Sleep is a vital and restorative human function. However, it has been reported that up to 50% of heart surgery patients experience sleep disturbance during hospitalization and after discharge.

PURPOSE

This study describes sleep patterns in adults over the recovery course after heart surgery and works to identify potential interventions. Researchers analyzed and synthesized studies of sleep patterns and sleep-related factors in heart surgery patients.

METHODS

Observational studies describing sleep through the course of recovery from heart surgery were searched from databases of PubMed, MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Current Contents, and Chinese Electronic Periodicals Service from 1966 to 2011. Only studies that used polysomnography, actigraphy, or self-report sleep questionnaires to measure sleep were recruited in this review. Results of sleep patterns and sleep quality were pooled from homogeneity studies.

RESULTS

Eight studies that investigated sleep patterns in heart surgery patient and nine studies that examined factors associated with sleep disturbances in this patient group were analyzed and synthesized. Serious problems including low sleep efficiency and difficulty in maintaining sleep often happened during the first postoperative week. It took 2 months for sleep to recover to preoperational levels. Although sleep quality improved over time, sleep disturbances still persisted through 6 months of recovery. Physical factors, including pain, dyspnea, nocturia, and cardiac function, and environmental factors, including noise, light, and procedures on patients, were associated with sleep disturbances during hospitalization. Psychological factors, including anxiety and depression, affected sleep during the first -6 months after discharge. Individual factors of age and gender affected sleep through the entire recovery course. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE: Sleep disturbances persist over the course of recovery in heart surgery patients, and sleep disturbance is associated with individual, physiological, psychological, and environmental factors. Findings suggest that management of major symptoms and control of the patient's sleeping environment during hospitalization and at early recovery stage as well as mental healthcare after discharge may improve sleep quality and recovery in heart surgery patients.

An Exploratory Study of Sleep Quality, Daytime Function, and Quality of Life in Patients with Mechanical Circulatory Support

Purpose:

To identify and describe: (1) characteristics of sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and quality of life (QOL) pre and post implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD); (2) changes in sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and QOL at baseline and 6 months post implant; and (3) relationships among the sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and QOL variables.

Methods:

We employed an exploratory research design. Fifteen patients with continuous/non-pulsatile flow LVAD consented to partake in the study. However, only 12 patients completed the baseline and 6-month post-LVAD implant data. We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) to measure study variables. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 19.0 software.

Results:

Patients reported worse sleep quality accompanied by daytime sleepiness particularly at baseline, and persisting up to 6 months post LVAD implant. A significant improvement in QOL was observed at 6 months post implant, but remained at poor levels. Correlations among sleep disturbance and daytime dysfunction components of PSQI and global daytime sleepiness (ESS) with QOL were strong (Pearson's correlations r>.60; p values <.05).

Conclusions:

We report the first empirical data describing the characteristics and correlations among sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and QOL in patients with LVADs. Our findings offer beginning evidence about the sleep-QOL connection in this population which warrants attention in clinical practice and research. Further research is required to clearly elucidate these phenomena in patients with mechanical circulatory support and other implantable artificial organs.

Symptom burden clusters and their impact on psychosocial functioning following coronary artery bypass surgery

Although there is extensive literature on symptoms experienced by patients after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABS), there is a paucity of data on symptom clusters and their impact on functional outcomes. The purpose of these descriptive, secondary analyses was to identify and describe cluster subgroups of 226 elderly CABS patients at discharge and to examine the cluster's impact on psychosocial functioning over time (baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months) using the 36-item Medical Outcome Study Short Form subscales. Cluster analysis revealed a 3-cluster solution with low, low-moderate, and moderate symptom burden clusters. Significant differences were detected for Duke Activity Status Index (F(2,223) = 5.12, P = .007), Barnason Efficacy Expectation Scale (F(2,223) = 9.60, P < .0001), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (F(2,219) = 15.14, P < .0001), and New York Heart Association classification (chi = 17.44, P = .008). Significant differences were noted on all variables between the low and moderate symptom burden clusters with differences between the low-moderate and moderate clusters for only the Barnason Efficacy Expectation Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Those in the moderate symptom burden cluster had more symptoms, anxiety, and depression along with lower self-efficacy and physiological functioning than those in the other 2 clusters. There was no interaction or simple main effects for the role-emotional or social subscales as measured by the 36-item Medical Outcome Study Short Form. There was no significant interaction for mental functioning by time and cluster (F(4,641) = .30, P = .88); however, there was a simple main effect for cluster (F(2,641) = 4.11, P = .02). Follow-up analysis indicated significant differences between the low and low-moderate clusters, indicating that those with low symptom burden had significantly better mental health functioning than those with moderate symptom burden. Findings provide a foundation of knowledge on symptom clusters in CABS populations and may be useful to clinicians to identify patients at risk for slowed or delayed recovery and for early intervention.

Comparison of Sleep and Mood in Patients After On-Pump and Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Background Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgical procedures have been advocated to reduce the adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass on the brain.

Objective To examine differences in objective and subjective characteristics of sleep and mood disturbance between patients after on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery.

Methods In a secondary analysis of pooled data from 2 previous studies, sleep characteristics and mood disturbance on postoperative night 2 after transfer to the cardiac surgery step-down unit were compared in patients who had on-pump and off-pump cardiac surgery. The sample included 129 coronary artery bypass patients: 48 on-pump patients from one hospital and 81 off-pump patients from another hospital. Data were obtained with wrist actigraphs. Subjective characteristics of sleep were determined by using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and a sleep diary; mood disturbance was evaluated by using the short form of the Profile of Mood States.

Results Off-pump surgery was associated with better objective sleep continuity (decreased percentage of wake time after sleep onset and fewer awakenings) but not longer sleep duration after controlling for age and sex. The 2 groups of patients did not differ overall in subjective sleep characteristics, mood disturbance, or preoperative sleep quality.

Conclusion Use of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery may improve sleep continuity during the early postoperative period. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the potential long-term benefits of this procedure during the different phases of recovery.

To pump or not to pump?

Coronary artery bypass grafting is performed on the beating heart and thus requires the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. To avoid the complications associated with cardiopulmonary bypass, off-pump bypass (OPB) is viewed as a desirable alternative. Technological advancements have made OPB a viable option in an expanding population of patients. As a result, the number of OPB surgeries performed annually in the United States has increased. Critical care nurses are increasingly likely to provide care for patients after off-pump surgery. The differences between on-pump and OPB surgeries affect the postoperative nursing care requirements. While there are many common aspects of postoperative cardiac care for these 2 groups of surgical patients, there is a need to focus on the unique aspects of care for OPB patients. Despite promising short-term results in OPB patients, questions surrounding this procedure remain. Studies are under way to determine long-term graft patency.

Follow-up With Objective and Subjective Tests of the Sleep Characteristics of Patients After Cardiac Surgery

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in sleep characteristics in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery, using both subjective and objective tests in the early (preoperative) and late (postoperative) periods.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Forty-five patients who underwent CABG and did not previously have any sleep disturbance were evaluated by subjective and objective sleep parameters during a consecutive 3-5-day preoperative examination, during a consecutive 5-8-day period in the 1st postoperative week, and during consecutive 5-8-day periods in the 1st and 2nd postoperative months. The Pittsburgh Index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale values, sleep latency, napping episodes, total napping period, duration of wakefulness after sleep onset and fragmentation index values were significantly increased; however, Maintenance of Wakefulness Test lengths, total sleep time and sleep efficiency were significantly decreased in the 1st postoperative week. All of these were the same in the 1st postoperative month and differences were not statistically different from the preoperative period. None of the sleep parameters in the 2nd postoperative month differed from the values obtained in the preoperative period.

CONCLUSION

The cause of sleeplessness after CABG surgery may be temporary deterioration of circulation in the centers of the brain stem and hypothalamus that control sleep and awakening. Improvement of the circulation in these centers a few months after the operation helps to regain sleep control, and thus sleep disturbances disappear.