Sleep-disordered breathing in patients enrolled in an inpatient stroke rehabilitation program.
OBJECTIVE
To report the prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing in an inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit and to explore correlations with functional status and health-related quality of life.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Rehabilitation center.


METHODS
Consecutive patients (N=45; mean age, 67+/-12y) (28 men) enrolled in inpatient rehabilitation after ischemic (84%) or hemorrhagic stroke (16%).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Overnight respiratory polysomnography was performed on all subjects. Interviewer-administered scales of sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and functional status (FIM, Barthel Index) were completed. Health-related quality of life was assessed by using a general questionnaire (Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey [SF-36]).


RESULTS
Of the 45 subjects tested, only 4 (9%) had an apnea-hypopnea index of less than 10 per hour. The mean apnea-hypopnea index was 32.2 (19.4) per hour; most events were obstructive. There was no relationship between the respiratory index and the components of SF-36 (P values>.2).


CONCLUSIONS
There was a dramatically high prevalence of respiratory events in patients after stroke enrolled in an inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit. The awareness of this will influence patient evaluation and management.
Brooks
Dina
D
Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. dina.brooks@utoronto.ca
Davis
Lori
L
Vujovic-Zotovic
Nada
N
Boulias
Chris
C
Ismail
Farooq
F
Richardson
Denyse
D
Goldstein
Roger S
RS
D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D015995:Prevalence; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*