ASSESSMENT OF THE QUALITY OF PERIOPERATIV E SLEEP - STUDY OF THE FACTORS FAVORING INSOMNIA

In order to assess the quality of sleep in surgical patients the amoun t of self-rated postoperative insomnia and its predisposing factors, w e conducted a three-fold questionnaire survey in 176 consecutive patie nts undergoing elective orthopaedic, vascular or abdominal surgery. Th e first questionnaire was completed the day preceding surgery, the sec ond at the day of discharge and the third two weeks later. This survey concerned the patient's general status, his usual sleep profile and f actors which could interfere with sleep (hypnotics, pain, environmenta l factors) throughout the study period. It allowed quantification of t hese parameters and the assessment of their time-course. Perioperative insomnia appeared to be a long-lasting phenomenon which persisted aft er discharge. Factor analysis and multiple regression models showed th at postoperative, self-rated insomnia was multifactorial and mainly ex plained by the amount of postoperative pain (p = 0.035).