Sleep as a Predictive and Precipitating Factor for Delirium
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A prospective cohort study to investigate the role of sleep as a predictive and precipitating factor for delirium in patients over the age of 70, undergoing elective surgery with a period of hospitalisation.
IRAS ID
197701
Contact name
Rowena M Bicknell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Kent
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Delirium is a sudden disturbance in attention, awareness and thoughts which fluctuates over short periods of time. Changes cannot be explained by pre-existing brain disorders and occur in the absence of reduced levels of consciousness. Episodes can involve seeing and hearing frightening things which aren’t there, fear and feeling a loss of control.
Delirium is induced through illness or physical trauma and is often seen in older, frailer hospital patients. Older, frailer people are more likely to stay in hospital for longer, have a slower recovery, become less able to cope with everyday life, develop dementia and die. The likelihood of any person experiencing delirium depends on the seriousness of trauma or illness, level of fitness and health before they experienced the trauma or illness.
There are strong reasons to believe that the systems that underpin healthy sleeping/levels of arousal are often the systems that are dysfunctional during episodes of delirium. Additionally, we know that problems with sleep can have generally negative effects on health. Studies have shown patients report poorer sleep quality whilst in hospital.
This study will investigate the role of sleep and its potential in being a risk factor for delirium within the hospitalised older adult population using actigraphy monitors (the novel aspect of the study). We will follow 104 people over the age of 70, due to receive elective hip or knee replacement surgery at an Acute Hospital in East Kent from before surgery (no more than 3 weeks before) to 12 weeks’ after surgery (total time, up to 15 weeks). Data will include measures of sleep, delirium, mental functioning, daily life and depression across five time points. Information on treatment, procedures and medication will be collected. The study will help inform our understanding of delirium and contribute to the development of interventions to reduce risk factors and develop treatments.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/1251
Date of REC Opinion
28 Sep 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion