TY - JOUR
T1 - Ambient light levels and critical care outcomes
AU - Verceles, Avelino C.
AU - Liu, Xinggang
AU - Terrin, Michael L.
AU - Scharf, Steven M.
AU - Shanholtz, Carl
AU - Harris, Anthony
AU - Ayanleye, Babajide
AU - Parker, Ann
AU - Netzer, Giora
N1 - Funding Information:
Drs Netzer and Terrin are supported by a Clinical Research Career Development Award from the National Institute of Health ( 5K12RR023250-03 ). Dr Harris is supported by a Midcareer Investigator Grant from the National Institute of Health ( 1K24AI079040 ).
PY - 2013/2
Y1 - 2013/2
N2 - Purpose: Guidelines for the construction of critical care units require windows in room design to ensure a contribution of natural sunlight to ambient lighting. However, few studies have been published with evidence assessing this recommendation. We investigated the association of ambient light levels with clinical outcomes and sedative/analgesic/neuroleptic use in a medical intensive care unit (MICU). Methods: This is a retrospective, observational study at a tertiary care facility with a 29-bed MICU. First/single MICU admissions between April 19, 2006, and June 30, 2009 (N = 3577), were analyzed with respect to clinical outcomes and sedation use according to MICU room orientation and corresponding light levels. Results: Light levels were low but varied among the 4 room orientations. There were no significant differences in MICU mortality (north, 14.0%; east, 13.5%; west, 16.2%; south, 15.6%; P = .451), hospital mortality (20.8%, 20.9%, 22.2%, 22.3%; P = .796), 28-day intensive care unit-free days (17.6 ± 10.2, 18.0 ± 10.1, 17.7 ± 10.5, 17.2 ± 10.4; P = .555), 28-day ventilator-free days (16.3 ± 11.1, 16.5 ± 11.1, 15.5 ± 11.5, 15.4 ± 11.4; P = .273). No clinically significant differences in intravenous sedative/analgesic use occurred across room orientations. Conclusions: Despite differing ambient light, room orientation was not associated with critical care outcomes or differences in sedative/analgesic/neuroleptic use. Current guidelines positing that windows alone are necessary or sufficient for MICU room light management may require further investigation and consideration.
AB - Purpose: Guidelines for the construction of critical care units require windows in room design to ensure a contribution of natural sunlight to ambient lighting. However, few studies have been published with evidence assessing this recommendation. We investigated the association of ambient light levels with clinical outcomes and sedative/analgesic/neuroleptic use in a medical intensive care unit (MICU). Methods: This is a retrospective, observational study at a tertiary care facility with a 29-bed MICU. First/single MICU admissions between April 19, 2006, and June 30, 2009 (N = 3577), were analyzed with respect to clinical outcomes and sedation use according to MICU room orientation and corresponding light levels. Results: Light levels were low but varied among the 4 room orientations. There were no significant differences in MICU mortality (north, 14.0%; east, 13.5%; west, 16.2%; south, 15.6%; P = .451), hospital mortality (20.8%, 20.9%, 22.2%, 22.3%; P = .796), 28-day intensive care unit-free days (17.6 ± 10.2, 18.0 ± 10.1, 17.7 ± 10.5, 17.2 ± 10.4; P = .555), 28-day ventilator-free days (16.3 ± 11.1, 16.5 ± 11.1, 15.5 ± 11.5, 15.4 ± 11.4; P = .273). No clinically significant differences in intravenous sedative/analgesic use occurred across room orientations. Conclusions: Despite differing ambient light, room orientation was not associated with critical care outcomes or differences in sedative/analgesic/neuroleptic use. Current guidelines positing that windows alone are necessary or sufficient for MICU room light management may require further investigation and consideration.
KW - Ambient light
KW - Critical care
KW - Critical illness
KW - ICU design
KW - ICU environment
KW - Light
KW - Outcomes
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jcrc.2012.04.012
DO - 10.1016/j.jcrc.2012.04.012
M3 - Article
C2 - 22762935
AN - SCOPUS:84870803548
SN - 0883-9441
VL - 28
SP - 110.e1-110.e8
JO - Journal of Critical Care
JF - Journal of Critical Care
IS - 1
ER -