Insomnia, Fatigue, and Sleepiness in the First 2 Years After Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Although PTBIF and insomnia are closely related and both associated with poorer quality of life, they are affected independently by a variety of factors, especially psychopathology and sleep quality. A majority of individuals with PTBIF do not have insomnia; and PTBIF appears to be related to disability severity and daytime sleepiness, where insomnia is not. Demographic and injury variables are not strong predictors of insomnia or PTBIF.

Factors associated with remission of post-traumatic brain injury fatigue in the years following traumatic brain injury (TBI): a TBI model systems module study

“…Like previous cross sectional research, these results show a relationship between the lingering of fatigue with increased disability, ongoing of sleep disturbance, and depression [7].…”

“…(1) Presence of TBI of at least moderate severity (as defined by posttraumatic amnesia at least 24 hours, trauma-related intracranial neuroimaging abnormalities, or loss of consciousness with a duration of more than 30 minutes); (2) Glasgow Coma Scale score of less than 13 upon admission to the emergency department; [7]. There were a total of 237 participants with complete data at two time points.…”

“…The Functional Independence Measure™ (FIM) is an index of motor and cognitive ability [13] and consists of 18 items with a Likert-type rating scale ranging from need for total assistance (1) to complete independence (7). Items can be divided into motor and cognitive domains.…”

“…Individuals with PTBIF tend to report higher levels of disability and lower satisfaction with life than individuals with TBI without fatigue complaints [7,8]. In fact, studies have shown that the presence of PTBIF may prevent return to work [9].…”

“…Although fatigue after TBI has been associated with other conditions or symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, pain, and sleep disturbance [11], studies suggest that PTBIF can present as a distinct condition [7,12]. While multiple studies have evaluated PTBIF characteristics and correlates, longitudinal studies specifically looking at the resolution of PTBIF are scarce.…”