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Sleep–wake rhythm during stay in an intensive care unit: A week’s long‐term recording of skin potentials
Author(s) -
Shiihara Yasufumi,
Nogami Toshihide,
Chigira Masayoshi,
Tanno Yoshihiko,
Sakai Yasuziro,
Takahashi Sigeru,
Kodama Masahisa,
Kunimoto Fumio
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1819.2001.00859.x
Subject(s) - delirium , sedative , intensive care unit , medicine , rhythm , circadian rhythm , anesthesia , arousal , sleep (system call) , psychology , intensive care medicine , neuroscience , computer science , operating system
To monitor the sleep–wake cycle of patients during their stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), we tried continuous and long‐term recording of skin potential (SP) levels in patients after surgery. A graph of the week‐long SP showed the sleep–wake pattern to be evident until the fourth day. It disappeared beginning on the fifth day, resulting finally in delirium with a relatively high mean SP level. In another record, the administration of sedative agents to calm the excitement lowered the mean SP level and suppressed SP responses evoked by frequent day and night treatment or nursing care. Continuous monitoring of arousal level by SP will be of help in prevention of ICU syndrome.