The effects of mechanical ventilation on the quality of sleep of hospitalised patients in the Intensive Care Unit.

Aim: To examine the effects of mechanical ventilation on the quality of sleep in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) using recent and relevant literature.

Methods: To verify the examined objective, the results of the analysis of available original scientific works have been used including defined inclusion/exclusion criteria and search strategy. Appropriate works found were analysed further. The applied methodology was in line with the general principles of Evidence-Based Medicine. The following literary databases were used: CINAHL, Medline and gray literature: Google Scholar.

Results: A total of 91 trials were found. Eleven of these relevant to the follow-up analysis were selected: all trials were carried out under real ICU conditions and the total of 192 patients were included in the review. There is an agreement within all trials that sleep in patients requiring mechanical ventilation is disturbed. Most reviewed trials have shown that mechanical ventilation is probably not the main factor causing sleep disturbances, but an appropriate ventilation strategy can significantly help to improve its quality by reducing the frequency of the patient-ventilator asynchrony.

Conclusion: Based on the analysis, it appears that an appropriate ventilation mode setting can have a beneficial effect on the quality of sleep in ICU patients.