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Feasibility of delivering a randomized controlled trial of weighted blanket intervention to help agitation and disturbed sleep after brain injury

Edwards, Laura

Feasibility of delivering a randomized controlled trial of weighted blanket intervention to help agitation and disturbed sleep after brain injury Thumbnail


Authors

LAURA EDWARDS Laura.Edwards@nottingham.ac.uk
Clinical Associate Professor



Abstract

Sleep disturbance and agitation are common after acquired brain injury (ABI). Weighted blankets may help these symptoms in other conditions, but have not been trialed in ABI. We aimed to determine acceptability and feasibility of weighted blankets to aid sleep and agitation after ABI. We recruited participants into a non-blinded, randomized controlled study in an NHS inpatient neurorehabilitation unit. Participants were randomized 1:1 to weighted blanket or standard hospital linen. Participants underwent observation of sleep (including actigraphy) and behavior over 11 nights. Of 10 participants randomized, seven participants completed the study. Only 1 participant tolerated the weighted blanket throughout and only three wore the actigraph for all nights of the study. Participants found the weighted blanket hot, heavy and uncomfortable. The study was terminated early due to poor tolerance. Delivery of a definitive trial in this format would not be feasible.

Citation

Edwards, L. (2024). Feasibility of delivering a randomized controlled trial of weighted blanket intervention to help agitation and disturbed sleep after brain injury. Frontiers in Sleep, 3, Article 1325175. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsle.2024.1325175

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 3, 2024
Online Publication Date Jan 24, 2024
Publication Date Jan 24, 2024
Deposit Date Feb 2, 2024
Publicly Available Date Feb 6, 2024
Journal Frontiers in Sleep
Print ISSN 2813-2890
Electronic ISSN 2813-2890
Publisher Frontiers Media
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 3
Article Number 1325175
DOI https://doi.org/10.3389/frsle.2024.1325175
Keywords weighted blanket, sleep, acquired brain injury, actigraphy, neurorehabilitation, agitation
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/30663397
Publisher URL https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsle.2024.1325175/full

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