Narcolepsy

Evidence from a nationwide healthcare system data in South Korea showed that narcolepsy is closely related to systemic autoimmune diseases, particularly those related to HLA genes.

Pitolisant will be assessed in 200 patients with idiopathic hypersomnia, using change in excessive daytime sleepiness as the primary end point.

Pitolisant, marketed as Wakix, recently received approval from the European Medicines Agency for pediatric narcolepsy with or without cataplexy.

Over a 6-month open-label extension period, mazindol ER was found to be safe, with patients demonstrating significant decreases in number of weekly cataplexy episodes and improvements in daytime sleepiness.

Pitolisant, a selective histamine H3 receptor inverse agonist, reduced the frequency of cataplexy in pediatric patients with narcolepsy.

In a phase 3 study, extended-release sodium oxybate demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful results in excessive daytime sleepiness, clinician’s assessment of patient’s functioning, and reduction in cataplexy attacks.

An evaluation on the long-term treatment profile of sodium oxybate on pediatrics with narcolepsy revealed a safety profile similar to previous adult studies and identified no unexpected safety concerns.

The assistant professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School provided perspective on the care needs of adolescents and young adults with narcolepsy, and the importance of early detection of lingering issues. [WATCH TIME: 3 minutes]

Results of solriamfetol were similar when outcomes were examined in subgroups of concomitant antidepressant use, regardless of depression history, indicating that antidepressants did not affect the efficacy of the drug.

Anne Marie Morse, DO, a pediatric neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at Geisinger Medical Center, talked about the challenges that adolescents with narcolepsy face in their social relationships.

In honor of World Sleep Day, held March 17, 2023, get caught up on some of the latest news in sleep disorders as the NeurologyLive® team shares some of our data updates.

A comparison of narcolepsy cases from the Russian Narcolepsy Network did not differ from data in the European Narcolepsy Network.

Published findings showed that narcolepsy has a significant impact on social relationships in adolescents, thus suggesting that structured routine for assessing social health is a vital first step for treatment.

Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores improved by an average of 4.3 points overall, with more than 90% of patients reporting perceived improvements in their excessive daytime sleepiness.

At 1 and 3 years follow-up, sodium oxybate-treated patients showed significant increases in periodic leg movements index and significantly higher apnea-hypopnea index.

Frequent medication change, adverse events, and low medication adherence appears more frequently in patients with narcolepsy who use complementary and alternative medicine.

Findings indicated that the robust wake-promoting efficacy of solriamfetol demonstrated in clinical trials resulted in improved real-world functional performance in participants with narcolepsy.

Data showed improvement in excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy frequency for children with narcolepsy on pitolisant.

For Valentine’s Day, the senior behavioral scientist at the RAND Corporation talked about the significance of sleep health and romantic relationships [WATCH TIME: 5 minutes]

A web-based survey of Korean neurologists interested in narcolepsy presented their concerns with using the multiple sleep latency test, noting that it may lead to ambiguous results due to accompanying sleep disorders like sleep apnea.

Glymphatic function demonstrated no significant difference in patients with type 1 and type 2 narcolepsy in comparison with healthy controls.

A questionnaire showed that adolescents with narcolepsy and parents prefer to receive details on narcolepsy at the time of diagnosis from a healthcare provider.

When asked which efficacious diagnostic or treatment options they hope to see in the future, a majority of physicians, especially specialists, expressed a desire to see more useful biomarkers, followed by more effective diagnostic tests overall.

A survey based on young adult college students indicated that symptoms of insomnia might buffer the association with the acute physiological effects of alcohol, in part because it may heighten the sensitivity to alcohol.

Richard Bogan, MD, FCCP, FAASM, associate clinical professor, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, provided commentary on multifunctional capabilities of Xywav and how the medication has improved care for narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia.