BACKGROUND

Sleep-related problems are debilitating and long-lasting conditions in individuals with stroke. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of poor sleep quality after stroke by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

Five databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and CINHAL) were searched for literature published before November 2022. Studies recruiting participants with stroke, using a validated scale to measure sleep quality and in English were included. We used the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Scale and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale to assess the quality of eligible studies. Pooled prevalence and subgroup analyses were performed to understand the variation in sleep quality among studies. We followed the PRISMA checklist to report the study.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies were included for analysis (n = 3886). The pooled prevalence of poor sleep quality was 53% (95% CI 41-65%). Studies using PSQI with a cutoff point of 7 had a prevalence of 49% (95% CI 26-71%), whereas those with a cutoff point of 5 had a higher prevalence of 66% (95% CI 63-69%) (P = .13). Geographical location could explain the prevalence variation between studies. The majority of included studies had a medium level quality of evidence (10/13).

CONCLUSION

Poor sleep quality appears to be common in patients with stroke. Considering its negative impact on health, effective measures should be taken to improve their quality of sleep. Longitudinal studies should be conducted to examine the contributing factors and investigate the mechanisms that lead to poor sleep quality.