UC San Diego Health has launched a five-year, national multi-site clinical research study aimed at improving sleep and reducing delirium among adults receiving care in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The ICU is where patients with life-threatening injuries and illnesses, or those who are recovering from major surgeries, receive round-the-clock, life-saving care, which can unintentionally disrupt normal sleep activities.
Funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), the $12 million award will be distributed across eight hospitals nationwide. Biren Kamdar, MD, MHS, pulmonologist and critical care physician at UC San Diego Health, will lead the research team as principal investigator, with the academic health system serving as the clinical coordinating center.
"Sleep is something all of us need, but it is one of the most common and distressing experiences reported by patients in hospitals nationwide," said Kamdar. "Through our research, we will better understand which commonly used sleep‑promotion strategies are most effective in the ICU setting and sustainable in real‑world practice by engaging patients, families, and clinicians throughout the implementation process."
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