Sleepiness and fatigue following traumatic brain injury: A clear relationship?

摘要

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a sudden brain trauma from an acute event, can have both short-term and long-term consequences. It is estimated that 1.7 million TBIs occur in the United States each year, of which 75% are mild TBIs such as concussions [1,2]. Selassie and colleagues found that a severe TBI defined as intracranial injury and moderate to prolonged loss of consciousness had the highest odds ratio in comparison to mild to moderate injury in leading to long-term disability [3]. TBI is a major public health issue and has cognitive, behavioral, and emotional consequences. Additionally, emerging research is beginning to shed light on the relationship between TBI and sleep issues. In comparison with the general population, those that have sustained a TBI have a higher prevalence rate of sleep disorders such as sleep disordered breathing, hypersomnia, periodic limb movements in sleep, and narcolepsy [4,5]. Although not well understood, daytime sleepiness and fatigue are common sequelae in those that have experienced a TBI [4].