Light Intensity on Intensive Care Units- A Short Review

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Critical Care and Circadian RhythmCircadian rhythms are autonomous, self-sustained, approximately 24 h oscillations in biological processes (e.g.daily fluctuation of core body temperature, serum melatonin, or cortisol) entrained to environmental cues, the most important being light.It is well recognised that the critical care environment is disruptive to maintenance of circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle.The normal rhythmic 24 h profiles of physiological parameters are altered in critical care patients [1][2][3][4][5].This is especially seen in septic patients [6][7][8].Mechanical ventilation, sedation, severity of illness and the ICU environment (noise) may all cause circadian disruption.However, it is now clear that light is the most powerful environmental influence on the circadian clock [9] (Figure 1).