Background: Octogenarian patients are an increasing group admitted for advanced cardiac treatment. Little is known about factors disturbing their sleep-wake pattern in the early postoperative phase after transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVI), as current knowledge is based upon studies on younger age groups treated for surgical aortic valve replacement.

Aim: To determine factors affecting the in-hospital sleep wake pattern in octogenarian patients after TAVI.

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study in a tertiary university hospital. Inclusion criteria were age > 80 years with severe aortic stenosis accepted for TAVI. Actigraphy was used to identify sleep-wake pattern (sleep time night and sleep time day), and the Minimal Insomnia Symptom Scale (MISS) to measure self-reported insomnia daily during the first five postoperative days. Charlson`s comorbidity index was used as a measure of comorbidities and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to rate pain severity. Information regarding duration of anesthesia, blood transfusion and parenteral administration of morphine equivalents were derived from the patients’ medical journals. Multiple regression analysis was used to test associations between variables.

Results: In all, 65 patients (41 women) were included. Mean age was 85 years (SD 2.8). No significant associations were found between age, comorbidities, blood transfusion and morphine equivalents and sleep. Gender was significantly associated with sleep time night and sleep efficiency as men had shortest duration of sleep from the third to the fifth postoperative night (p < .001, and adjusted R2=.230 to .283). Duration of anesthesia had a significant association with sleep time night and sleep efficiency from the third to the fifth postoperative night (p=.013 to p < .001, and adjusted R2=.230 to .283), where longer duration gave less total sleep and lower sleep efficiency. VAS score correlated with wake time night the third night, where a higher VAS score gave more wake time (p=.006 and adjusted R2 .236).

Conclusion: Male gender, longer duration of perioperative anesthesia and postoperative pain were associated with disturbances in the postoperative sleep-wake pattern in octogenarian patients in the early postoperative phase after TAVI. This knowledge is important and relevant and should have implications in improving patient care.