Wake-up ischemic stroke associated with short sleep duration and sleep behavior: A stratified analysis according to risk of obstructive sleep apnea

Wake-up stroke (WUS) is an ischemic stroke occurring during nocturnal sleep with neurological deficits observed upon awakening. Our study aimed to investigate the association between WUS, sleep curtailment, and sleep behavior according to the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk in patients with acute ischemic stroke. This single-centered, retrospective study included hospitalized subjects with acute ischemic stroke occurring within 30 days. A total of 250 participants were classified as WUS or not and enquired about their sleep habits concerning sleep time on weekdays and weekends, demographic factors, and assessed comorbid medical conditions. Weekend catch-up sleep (CUS) was defined as the extension of sleep duration during weekends. The average weekly sleep duration and chronotype were assessed. The association between WUS and sleep factors was analyzed. WUS was observed in 70 patients (28.0%) with acute ischemic stroke. There were no significant differences in the demographic and stroke-related variables between the WUS and non-WUS (NWUS) groups. Upon stratified analysis based on risk of OSA, average weekly sleep duration (odds ratio, [OR] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval, [CI] = 0.41–0.89; p = 0.011), the presence of weekend CUS (OR = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.01–0.97; p = 0.047), and chronotype (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.39–0.98; p = 0.041) were independently associated with WUS in low-risk group with OSA, but not in the high-risk group. Short sleep duration and lack of compensation are significantly associated with WUS in low-risk OSA group. Insufficient sleep and sleep behaviors could play a different role in causing ischemic stroke during sleep when patients are stratified by their risk of sleep apnea. •Short sleep and lack of weekend catch up sleep are related to wake-up stroke in the low-risk of obstructive sleep apnea.•Earlier chronotypes are associated with wake-up ischemic stroke in the low-risk group of obstructive sleep apnea.•Insufficient sleep and sleep behaviors may play a role in ischemic stroke during sleep in patients stratified by risk of sleep apnea.