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Clinical Trial
. 1991 Jun;14(3):218-20.
doi: 10.1093/sleep/14.3.218.

Relative efficacy of drugs for the treatment of sleepiness in narcolepsy

M M Mitler  1 , R Hajdukovic
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Relative efficacy of drugs for the treatment of sleepiness in narcolepsy

M M Mitler et al. Sleep. 1991 Jun.

Abstract

A survey was conducted on 10 polysomnographic studies on the pharmacologic treatment of the sleepiness of narcolepsy. Three studies employed the MSLT and 7 employed the MWT as their polygraphic measure of sleep tendency. Statistically and clinically significant therapeutic changes were apparent for pemoline, modafinil, dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate. Codeine, ritanserin and protriptyline did show statistically significant effects. The common feature among the drugs that did produce clinically significant improvements seems to be facilitatory action on central catecholaminergic transmission. Within this group of drugs, only methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine brought MWT sleep latencies to approximately 70% of normal levels.

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Figures

FIG. 1
FIG. 1
Relative efficacy of drugs for treating excessive sleepiness in patients with narcolepsy presented in terms of percent of normal levels of sleepiness (see Methods). The lightest shading denotes baseline values. The intermediate shading denotes treatment values. The darkest shading is used only for the normal values. Abbreviations: GHB = gamma-hydroxybulyrale; COD = codeine; RIT = ritanserin; VIL = viloxazine; PEM = pemoline; MOD = modafinil; PRO = protriptyline; DEX = dextroamphetamine; MET = methylphenidate.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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