ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Management of sleep disturbances in the intensive care unit (ICU): a secondary analysis of the ESPRIT study
Authors' conclusion
Sleep disturbances are common in ICUs, yet routine screening and structured management remain rare.
Study context
- Population
- Adult patients admitted to French ICUs on the study day
- Participants
- 1,361 patients · 128 ICUs
- Primary endpoint
- Prevalence of sleep disturbances (identified by bedside physician)
Methodological detailsnational, multicentre, multivariable multilevel logistic regression
- National
- Multicentre
- Multivariable multilevel logistic regression
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Sleep disturbances (identified by bedside physician)
Patients reported to have sleep disturbances, n (%)
445
33%
Further findings
ICU screening and management practices (unit level)
- ICUs conducting routine screening
- 18%
- Earplugs used, ICUs
- 51/128 (40%)
- Eye masks used, ICUs
- 18/128 (14%)
- No center had implemented a multicomponent protocol
- Light and noise reduction common
Pharmacological treatment for sleep disturbances (mainly Z-drugs and hydroxyzine)
- Patients given pharmacological treatments, n (%)
- 219 (16%)
Factors associated with sleep disturbances (multivariable multilevel logistic regression)
- Overnight family presence, OR [CI], p
- OR 2.06 [1.12-3.81], p = 0.021
- Physical restraints, OR [CI], p
- OR 2.26 [1.39-3.70], p = 0.001
- Optimization of nursing tasks (tended to reduce), OR [CI], p
- OR 0.57 [0.31-1.04], p = 0.069
- Independently associated with increased risk: family presence and restraints
Original publication
Management of sleep disturbances in the ICU: a secondary analysis of the ESPRIT study. Anaesth Crit Care Pain Med. Published 4 June 2026. doi:10.
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