Sleep-Disordered Breathing in the Acute Phase After Stroke and Neuropsychiatric Outcomes

In people who have had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), it is common to have problems with breathing patterns during sleep, particularly a condition called obstructive sleep apnea. Another common long-term problem after a stroke is post-stroke fatigue, which affects function and quality of life after stroke. There is currently no clearly effective treatment for post-stroke fatigue. We are investigating whether there might be a connection between sleep-related breathing disturbances, and the risk of developing long-term post-stroke fatigue

The project is being conducted at Blekingesjukhuset Karlskrona, and inpatients with stroke are asked to participate. Participants are equipped with a sleep analysis pad under the mattress that measures breathing patterns during the night, as well as a wrist-worn device that measures oxygen saturation in the blood. Participants are also asked about their functional level in daily life and any symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. One year after the stroke, participants are invited for a follow-up visit where we ask about post-stroke fatigue, depressive symptoms, and treatment and investigations related to the stroke.

We will then investigate the relationship between sleep-related breathing disturbances, measured early after stroke, and the risk of significant fatigue after the stroke. This could lead to future studies with treatment trials for obstructive sleep apnea in certain individuals with post-stroke fatigue. The study could also lead to potentially increased awareness that these conditions might be connected, which could result in a higher likelihood of detecting treatable obstructive sleep apnea in certain subgroups after stroke.