Evaluation of rest-activity cycles in patients with severe acquired brain injury: an observational study

ABSTRACT

Background

There is little knowledge about rest-activity cycles (RAC) in patients with severe-acquired brain injury (sABI) during early in-hospital rehabilitation. This study aimed to investigate if patients with sABI displayed unconsolidated RACs at the beginning of in-hospital rehabilitation, and how these changed over time.

Methods

This study was a prospective observational study. All patients consecutively admitted to one ward were screened for eligibility. We recorded accelerometric activity for 20 days. The Daytime Activity Ratio (DAR) of activity between daytime (7–22) and the total activity during the entire day was calculated and used to estimate consolidation.

Results

Fifty-five patients were screened and 20 patients were included. Complete day 1 & 2 data was obtained on 18 patients. Fifty-six percentage of these had a consolidated RAC at the beginning of rehabilitation. On day 19 & 20, complete data could be obtained from 15 patients, 80% of these had consolidation of RAC. When comparing these a significant mean increase of 5.8% 95%CI(0.52; 11.01) in DAR was found p < .05, and the model of all data also showed a significant increase in median DAR over time p < .01.

Conclusion

RAC consolidation improves over time in patients admitted for in-hospital early neurorehabilitation.

KEYWORDS:

• Brain injury
• rest-activity cycles
• actigraphy
• diurnal rhythm
• rest-activity cycle consolidation
• neurorehabilitation

Disclosure Statement

The authors have no conflicts of interests to report. All authors are funded by their respective organizations. No external funding was received for the completion of the present study.