Impact of new lighting technology versus traditional fluorescent bulbs on sedation and delirium in the ICU

Background

Critically ill patients frequently encounter disruptions in their circadian rhythms in the intensive care unit (ICU) environment. New lighting systems have been developed to enhance daytime light levels and to promote circadian alignment.

Objectives

To investigate the impact of implementing an innovative lighting technology that mimics natural light and reproduce the colour of the sky.

Design

Prospective, observational, non-randomized comparative trial. ICU patients were exposed to either a cutting-edge lighting system based on new technology (intervention group) or a conventional lighting system using fluorescent bulbs (control group).

Setting

An Italian intensive care unit with ten beds and five windowless rooms, thereby denying access to natural light. Three rooms had new lighting technology.

Main Outcome Measures

The two groups were compared to assess the prevalence or absence of delirium and the need for sedatives during ICU stay. The secondary aim was to assess the presence of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder in patients at 3, 6, and 12 months after ICU discharge.

Results

86 patients were included: 52 (60 %) in the intervention group and 34 (40 %) in the control group. Seventy-nine patients (82 %) were alive at ICU discharge. Fourteen patients (16 %) developed delirium (intervention group: n = 8 [15 %] vs. control group: n = 6 [18 %] in the control group, (P=0.781). The use of sedative drugs and neuromuscular blocking agents was similar in both the groups. No differences in the incidence of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorders were observed among patients who underwent follow-up visits.

Conclusions

Compared to traditional fluorescent tube lighting, the innovative lighting system did not provide any significant benefit in reducing the frequency of delirium or the necessity for sedative medications.

Implications for Clinical Practice

A single intervention, the use of lights that mimic sunny light and the sky, did not result in a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of delirium. Delirium has a multifactorial aetiology, necessitating interventions that are multifaceted and address different domains.