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TO ASSESS THE SLEEPINESS AMONG MEDICAL RESIDENTS USING MULTIPLE SLEEP LATENCY TEST AS OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT TOOL

Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX

PURPOSE: There has recently been a push towards limiting resident call and duty hours with the objective of reducing sleepiness amongst medical residents. Objective data regarding sleepiness in post-call medicine residents is however lacking. The objective of this study was to assess the sleepiness among Family practice residents using subjective data as well as objective assessment by multiple sleep latency test (MSLT).

METHODS: We conducted a study at Texas A&M University, Family practice residency program at Corpus Christi. Sixteen residents of age 21-40 years were recruited and divided into two groups. The study group was night float residents undergoing MSLT post-call and control group were the residents pre-call. Participants from both groups were evaluated using Epworth sleepiness scale and MSLT. Respondents also completed a questionnnaire assessing effects of sleep loss, stress of work and attitude of residents toward their training. Residents also completed the sleep diary for a week prior to the study.

RESULTS: The results showed the mean sleep latency of 14.1 minutes in study group as compared to mean sleep latency of 9.1 minutes in the control group with a p value of 0.0524, which was not significant. The mean Epworth score in control group was 7.88+/- 2.7, whereas in study group was 8.5+/- 2.45. Average amount of sleep which residents in study group had, based on sleep diary was 7 hours 9 minutes, and residents in control group had was 7 hours 3 minutes, with a p value of 0.8409, which was not significant.

CONCLUSION: The hypothesis that study group (post-call) would be deprived of sleep was not substantiated with our data. It was demonstrated that study group residents were not found to be sleepier than the normal population, whereas control group residents were sleepier as compared to normal population.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Night float system can be one of the ways to decrease medical errors and improve residents safety.

DISCLOSURE: Salim Surani, None.