Can we let our patients sleep in the hospital? A randomized controlled trial of a pragmatic sleep protocol in surgical oncology patients.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative inpatients experience increased stress due to pain and poor restorative sleep than non-surgical inpatients.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: A total of 101 patients, undergoing major oncologic surgery, were randomized to a postoperative sleep protocol (n = 50) or standard postoperative care (n = 51), between August 2020 and November 2021. The primary endpoint of the study was postoperative sleep time after major oncologic surgery. Sleep time and steps were measured using a Fitbit Charge 4®.

RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference found in postoperative sleep time between the sleep protocol and standard group (median sleep time of 427 min vs. 402 min; p = 0.852, respectively). Major complication rates were similar in both groups (7.4% vs. 8.9%). Multivariate analysis found sex and Charlson Comorbidity Index to be significant factors affecting postoperative sleep time and step count. Postoperative delirium was only observed in the standard group, although this did not reach statistical significance. There were no in hospital mortalities.

CONCLUSION: The use of a sleep protocol was found to be safe in our study population. There was no statistical difference in postoperative sleep time or major complications. Institution of a more humane sleep protocol for postoperative inpatients should be considered.