ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the sleep status, quality of life, activities of daily living and the serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in insomnia patients after meridian-collateral stroke treated by the new family rehabilitation program, a combined therapy including traditional family rehabilitalion, acupoint massage and ear point application. Methods A total of 80 cases of insomnia patients after meridian-collateral stroke were enrolled. Subjects were evenly divided into treatment group ( treated with new family rehabilitation program) and control group ( treated with traditional hospital health education and family rehabilitation). Clinical effects of the two groups were evaluated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the brief version of WHO Quality of Life Assessment (WHOQOL-BREF) and activities of daily living ( ADL) . The serum levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were monitored before and after therapy and measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA). Results ( 1) After treatment for 28 days, the scores of total PSQI, sleep time, sleep efficiency and sleep disorder incidence in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01) . ( 2) The scores of physiological, psychological, social relation, environmental dimensions of WHOQOL-BREF in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group ( P<0.01) . ( 3) ADL scores were significantly higher in the treatment group than those in the control group (P<0.01) . (4) Serum levels of IL-1βand TNF-αwere increased in the treatment group as compared with those in the control group (P<0.01). Conclusion Compared with the traditional hospital health education, the new family rehabilitation program can effectively improve the quality of sleep, quality of life, as well as the activities of daily living. And the mechanism may be associated with the up-regulation of the serum levels of IL-1βand TNF-α, which are relevant to the sleep status.