A new study published in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews found a higher prevalence of insomnia and its symptoms among stroke survivors than the general population. Up to one-third of stroke survivors may experience post-stroke insomnia.
Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 14 studies identified through a literature search on the Medline, Embase, EBSCOhost, PsycINFO, PsychARTICLES, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases.
The pooled prevalence of post-stroke insomnia was 38.2 per cent (95% CI, 30.1-46.5%). The prevalence estimates were substantially higher for studies using non-diagnostic tools (40.70%; 95% CI, 30.96-50.82%) than for those using diagnostic assessment tools (32.21%; 95% CI, 18.5-47.64%). Stroke survivors with co-morbid depression and anxiety experienced more symptoms of insomnia.
The authors concluded: "Routine screening of sleep disorders specifically for insomnia using diagnostic tools post-stroke is warranted, particularly in the presence of comorbid depression, anxiety or diabetes."
