SAFETYLIT WEEKLY UPDATE

We compile citations and summaries of about 400 new articles every week.
RSS Feed

HELP: Tutorials | FAQ
CONTACT US: Contact info

Search Results

Journal Article

Citation

McKeon AB, Stocker RPJ, Germain A. NeuroRehabilitation 2019; 45(2): 163-185.

Affiliation

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, IOS Press)

DOI

10.3233/NRE-192804

PMID

31707378

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the current evidence on sleep disturbances in military service members (SMs) and veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHODS: An electronic literature search first identified abstracts published from 2008-2018 inclusively referencing sleep, TBI, and military personnel from Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Persian Gulf veterans. Selection criteria eliminated studies on non-combat TBI, open or penetrating injuries, and articles where the relationship between sleep and TBI was not directly examined. Articles on all military branches and components, those currently serving and veterans-ranging from medical chart reviews to clinical trials, were included. Forty-one articles were selected for full text-review.

RESULTS: Twenty-four papers estimated the prevalence of sleep disturbances in TBI. Eight studies demonstrated the contribution of common co-occurring conditions, most notably posttraumatic stress disorder, to the relationship between disrupted sleep and TBI. Ten studies differentiated sleep profiles between military SMs and veterans with and without acute TBI and detected significant differences in sleep disturbances across the course of injury. Longitudinal studies were scarce but helped to establish the temporal relationship between sleep disturbances and TBI and isolate sleep-related mechanisms influencing TBI prognosis. Only three studies reported on interventions for improving sleep quality and TBI symptoms. Systematic research testing assessments and interventions that target sleep disturbances for improving sleep, TBI symptoms, and long-term functional outcomes were identified as critical knowledge gaps.

CONCLUSION: Findings unequivocally establish that sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in SMs and veterans with TBI. However, studies testing the effectiveness of treatments for improving sleep in military groups with TBI have been limited and their results inconsistent. This review highlights a critical opportunity for advancing military medicine through future research aimed at identifying and testing sleep-focused treatments in SMs and veterans with combat-related TBI.


Language: en

Keywords

Operation Enduring Freedom; Operation Iraqi Freedom; Operation New Dawn; Persian Gulf
veterans; Sleep disturbance; military; service members; traumatic brain injury; veterans

NEW SEARCH


All SafetyLit records are available for automatic download to Zotero & Mendeley
Print