Background Post-ischemic stroke rehabilitation exercises hold significant potential for enhancing functional recovery, with adherence to these exercises being crucial for optimal outcomes. A prevalent complication following ischemic stroke is poor sleep quality, which may adversely affect the efficacy of rehabilitation exercises. However, the relationship between sleep quality and the rehabilitation adherence in patients with ischemic stroke remains unclear. This study represents the inaugural investigation into the association between sleep quality, rehabilitation adherence, and function recovery in ischemic stroke patients. Methods Seventy patients diagnosed with ischemic stroke were categorized into three distinct groups based on their rehabilitation adherence, as measured by the Rehabilitation Exercise Adherence Scale. Comprehensive data regarding the clinical data and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were collected. The study investigated the association between poor sleep quality and rehabilitation adherence. Furthermore, the effect of rehabilitation adherence on the recovery of function was assessed by analyzing the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores obtained within 24 hours post-onset and following the rehabilitation period. Results The ischemic stroke patients were classified into three adherence levels: high adherence (23%), moderate adherence (40%), and low adherence (37%). There were significant differences among the three groups with respect to age, body mass index (BMI) status, anxiety or depression status, educational level, aphasia status, estazolam use and sleep quality ( P < 0.05). The analysis demonstrated a significant association between educational level (OR = − 1.590, 90% CI −2.463 to −0.716, p < 0.01) and sleep quality (OR = − 0.889, 90% CI −1.757 to −0.021, p < 0.1) with rehabilitation adherence. Patients with high-level rehabilitation adherence exhibited lower NIHSS scores post-rehabilitation compared to those with low-level adherence. However, the change in NIHSS scores from pre-rehabilitation to post-rehabilitation showed no significant differences among the three groups. The poor sleep quality among these patients was 47%. There is a significant difference in the dimensions of “physical participation in exercise” and “proactively seeking exercise advice” on the Rehabilitation Exercise Adherence Scale between the sleep quality groups ( P < 0.01). Conclusion The rehabilitation adherence among patients with ischemic stroke is at a moderately - low level. There is an association between rehabilitation adherence and sleep quality.
Zheng et al. (Fri,) studied this question.