Sleep apnea in adults with traumatic brain injury: a preliminary investigation.

Objective: To determine the occurrence and nature of sleep-related breathing disorders in adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Design: Prospective, observational, consecutive sample enrollment of subjects admitted for rehabilitation after TBI.

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation and subacute rehabilitation units of a tertiary care university medical system.

Participants: Subjects (n = 28) included adults with TBI and a Rancho Los Amigos Scale level of 3 or greater who were less than 3 months postinjury and admitted for comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation.

Interventions: Overnight sleep study using portable 6-channel monitoring system.

Main Outcome Measure: Respiratory disturbance index (RDI), which is the number of apneic and hypopneic episodes per hour of sleep.

Results: Evidence of sleep apnea was found in 10 of 28 (36%) subjects as measured by a RDI level of 5 or greater and in 3 of 28 (11%) subjects as measured by a RDI level of 10 or greater. This rate of sleep apnea is significantly (p =.002) higher than would be predicted based on population norms. No correlation was found between the occurrence of significant sleep apnea and measures of TBI severity or other demographic variables. Sleep-related breathing disorders were primarily central though obstructive apneas were also noted.

Conclusion: In this preliminary investigation, sleep-related breathing disorders as defined by a respiratory disturbance index of 5 or greater appears to be common in adult subjects with TBI.