Use of sodium oxybate for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome in patients with acute alcohol-associated hepatitis: A 4-patient case report.

INTRODUCTION: During the treatment of alcohol use disorder, alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) can occur. Benzodiazepines remain the "gold standard" for the pharmacological treatment of AWS. However, other drugs have been approved in some European Countries for the treatment of AWS: namely, clomethiazole in Spain and Germany and sodium oxybate in Italy and Austria. Acute alcohol-associated hepatitis (AAH) is a distinct clinical syndrome characterized by the recent onset of jaundice with or without other signs of liver decompensation in patients with ongoing alcohol consumption. RATIONALE: We report 4 paradigmatic clinical cases to analyze the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the very short half-life (30-45 minutes) sodium oxybate (SO) in the management of AWS with moderate to severe AAH. Compared to SO, "as needed" short-acting benzodiazepines, currently prescribed to treat AWS in patients with AAH, have a much longer half-life (5-25 hours) which increases the risk of drug accumulation. The very short half-life of SO provides a fixed dose approach allowing for a more effective control of AWS than "as needed" therapy throughout the 24 hours. PATIENT CONCERNS: Patients reported anxiety, agitation, diffuse abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and nausea with elevation in serum bilirubin and 2 of them had abdomen distension due to ascites. DIAGNOSIS: Patients were affected by moderate or severe AWS and moderate or severe AAH on alcohol-related liver cirrhosis. INTERVENTIONS: In order to suppress AWS, all patients were treated with oral sodium oxybate at a dose of 25 mg/kg/day, progressively increased to 50 to 100 mg/kg/day, divided into 3 to 5 administrations. OUTCOMES: SO was efficient, safe and tolerable in suppressing AWS even in patients with severe AAH. All treated patients showed a rapid improvement of all symptom (via the Clinical Institute of Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol Scale) and liver test scores (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease). CONCLUSION: Because of its short half-life, SO can be considered a safe and effective pharmacological option for the AWS in patients with moderate to severe AAH even in comparison to short-acting benzodiazepines, thus avoiding the risk of accumulation. Notably, SO guarantees a fixed approach to cover the possible onset of AWS throughout the 24 hours.

Accidental calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium oxybates (Xywave) overdose: mistiming of a single night's narcolepsy medication leading to respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation.

While typically thought of as an illicit substance, oxybate salts or gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has more recently been prescribed to treat narcolepsy by enhancing night-time sleep resulting in decreased daytime drowsiness. This case involves a college-aged female with prescribed GHB for narcolepsy who took her second nightly dose too early. This resulted in mental depression, respiratory failure, intubation and mechanical ventilation. The patient was successfully extubated in the intensive care unit several hours later with no residual morbidity. We were unable to identify any prior reports of mixed-salt oxybate toxicity following mistimed drug administration. This case should serve as a warning to emergency physicians to be on the lookout for GHB as part of the differential diagnosis for patients with narcolepsy presenting with altered mental status. It should also serve as a warning to patients and prescribers that this medication can have outcomes that require immediate medical intervention.

Sleep-related painful erections treated with sodium oxybate.

A 39-year-old male with a medical history significant for migraine, psoriatic arthritis, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, vitamin D deficiency, and hypoglycemia presented with a 2-year history of sleep-related painful erections. Because the reported prevalence is low, there is limited understanding of the possible etiologies of the disorder and few published clinical data on treatment algorithms. Thus, he had tried multiple therapies. Baclofen was effective but not tolerated. Pelvic physiotherapy and tadalafil were ineffective. Imipramine, clonazepam, vitamin B, iron, and selenium provided minimal benefit. Opiates were initially effective but lost efficacy after 2-3 weeks. Finally, he was started on sodium oxybate after fully counseling the patient on the potential side effects of the treatment and consenting the patient for off-label use. This has effectively treated his sleep-related painful erections. Sodium oxybate is a novel therapy for and a possible new treatment for this rare and challenging disorder that merits further study. CITATION: Chaudhary HS, Zeidman E, Punjani N, Tashman Y. Sleep-related painful erections treated with sodium oxybate. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(7):1209-1211.

Substitution therapy for patients with alcohol dependence: Mechanisms of action and efficacy.

New approaches for the treatment of alcohol dependence (AD) may improve patient outcomes. Substitution maintenance therapy is one of the most effective treatment options for opioid and nicotine use disorders. So far, there has been little attention to substitution therapy for the treatment of AD. Here, we explain the mechanistic foundations of alcohol substitution maintenance therapy. Alcohol has many primary targets in the brain (and other organs) and the physical interaction of ethanol molecules with these specific ethanol-sensitive sites on a variety of ionotropic receptors (e.g. GABA-A, NMDA, and nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors) and ion channels provides the rationale for substitution. As such, a variety of compounds can interact with those ethanol-sensitive sites and can thus substitute for some of the effects of alcohol. For some of these compounds, alcohol discrimination studies have shown their substitution potential. Accordingly, potential substitution treatments include agonists acting at GABA receptors such as sodium oxybate, baclofen and benzodiazepines, NMDA receptor antagonists such as ketamine and memantine, or nAChRs agonists such as varenicline. All these compounds are already approved for other indications and we present clinical evidence for these drugs in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) and in the long-term treatment of AD, and outline future steps for their acceptance as substitution treatment in AD. Finally, we discuss the substitution approach of managed alcohol programs for the most severely affected homeless populations. Results showed that sodium oxybate is probably the closest to a substitution therapy for AD and is already approved for the treatment of AWS and in the long-term treatment of AD in some countries. In conclusion, we argue that better AD treatment can be provided if substitution maintenance treatments for alcohol are implemented at a similar scale as for opioid and nicotine use disorder.

Medication-induced central sleep apnea: a unifying concept.

Medication-induced central sleep apnea (CSA) is one of the eight categories of causes of CSA but in the absence of awareness and careful history may be misclassified as primary CSA. While opioids are a well-known cause of respiratory depression and CSA, non-opioid medications including sodium oxybate, baclofen, valproic acid, gabapentin, and ticagrelor are less well-recognized. Opioids-induced respiratory depression and CSA are mediated primarily by µ-opioid receptors, which are abundant in the pontomedullary centers involved in breathing. The non-opioid medications, sodium oxybate, baclofen, valproic acid, and gabapentin, act upon brainstem gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, which co-colonize with µ-opioid receptors and mediate CSA. The pattern of ataxic breathing associated with these medications is like that induced by opioids on polysomnogram. Finally, ticagrelor also causes periodic breathing and CSA by increasing central chemosensitivity and ventilatory response to carbon dioxide. Given the potential consequences of CSA and the association between some of these medications with mortality, it is critical to recognize these adverse drug reactions, particularly because discontinuation of the offending agents has been shown to eliminate CSA.

Treatment of Gamma Hydroxybutyrate Withdrawal in a Pregnant Female: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is used illicitly for its sedative hypnotic effects, and those who take it regularly are at risk of developing a substance use disorder. Withdrawal from GHB can include severe symptoms that may require medical management. For GHB use and withdrawal during pregnancy, there are no evidence- or practice-based guidelines to follow, and there is only minimal research literature. CASE SUMMARY: We present the case of a 32-year-old woman, G1P0 at 29 weeks and 6 days of gestation, admitted to the perinatal unit at a tertiary hospital for GHB withdrawal management and stabilization. GHB withdrawal was managed with a combination of baclofen and diazepam. We report the dosing and tapering of these medications throughout her 14-day admission. Withdrawal symptoms were well managed with this medication protocol, and she did not experience any features of complicated withdrawal. The patient later presented to hospital in preterm labor and precipitously delivered a healthy, preterm infant male at 34 weeks and 5 days of gestation. At 7 months postpartum, the patient continued to engage with perinatal addiction service, reported no use of GHB since her admission, and was parenting her healthy son. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: There is a paucity of guidelines for managing GHB withdrawal in pregnancy. This case demonstrates good clinical outcomes administering a short-term combination of diazepam and baclofen during the third trimester of pregnancy. This case helps to fill a gap in the literature and may inform future research or clinical decision-making in similar situations.

Effects of oxybate dose and regimen on disrupted nighttime sleep and sleep architecture.

Many components of sleep are disrupted in patients with narcolepsy, including sleep quality, sleep architecture, and sleep stability (ie, frequent awakenings/arousals and frequent shifts from deeper to lighter stages of sleep). Sodium oxybate, dosed twice nightly, has historically been used to improve sleep, and subsequent daytime symptoms, in patients with narcolepsy. Recently, new formulations have been developed to address the high sodium content and twice-nightly dosing regimen of sodium oxybate: low-sodium oxybate and once-nightly sodium oxybate. To date, no head-to-head trials have been conducted to compare the effects of each oxybate product. This review aims to give an overview of the existing scientific literature regarding the impact of oxybate dose and regimen on sleep architecture and disrupted nighttime sleep in patients with narcolepsy. Evidence from 5 key clinical trials, as well as supporting evidence from additional studies, suggests that sodium oxybate, dosed once- and twice-nightly, is effective in improving sleep, measures of sleep architecture, and disrupted nighttime sleep in patients with narcolepsy. Direct comparison of available efficacy and safety data between oxybate products is complicated by differences in trial designs, outcomes assessed, and statistical analyses; future head-to-head trials are needed to better understand the advantage and disadvantages of each agent.

Dosing and transition characteristics in people with narcolepsy transitioning from sodium oxybate to low-sodium oxybate: Data from the real-world TENOR study.

OBJECTIVE: The Transition Experience of persons with Narcolepsy taking Oxybate in the Real-world (TENOR) study assessed the real-world experience of people with narcolepsy switching from sodium oxybate (SXB) to low-sodium oxybate (LXB; 92 % less sodium than SXB). METHODS: TENOR is a patient-centric, prospective, observational, virtual-format study. Eligible participants included US adults with narcolepsy transitioning from SXB to LXB (±7 days from LXB initiation). Longitudinal data were collected from baseline (taking SXB) through 21 weeks post-transition. RESULTS: TENOR included 85 participants with narcolepsy (type 1, n = 45; type 2, n = 40). Mean (SD) age was 40.3 (13.0) years; the majority (73 %) were female and White (87 %). At study completion, wake-promoting agents were the most common concomitant medications (47 %). Mean (SD) SXB treatment duration was 57.8 (52.1) months; 96 % took SXB twice nightly. After transitioning, 97 % continued on twice-nightly regimens. Mean (SD) dose of both total nightly SXB (n = 85) and baseline LXB (n = 84) was 7.7 (1.5) g; SXB-LXB dose conversions at baseline were gram-for-gram in 87 % of participants. The mean final total nightly dose of LXB was 7.9 g. The most common participant-reported reasons for transitioning included lower sodium content for improved long-term health (93 %), physician recommendation (47 %), to avoid cardiovascular issues (39 %), to avoid side effects (31 %), and to improve control of narcolepsy symptoms (18 %). CONCLUSION: Most participants transitioned from SXB to LXB using a gram-for-gram strategy. The most commonly cited reason for transition was long-term health benefits due to lower sodium.

Consequences of 1,4-Butanediol Misuse: A Review.

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), along with its precursors, 1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), are potent central depressant agents widely illicitly used for their euphoric and relaxant effects. The article presents a review of the literature on the 1,4-BD misuse, the clinical picture of intoxication, development of addiction and delirium. The available evidence shows that 1,4-BD is a substance with its own psychoactive effects, a high addiction potential and potentially severe withdrawal symptoms.

GHB: a life-threatening drug complications and outcome of GHB detoxification treatment-an observational clinical study.

BACKGROUND: GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate) and its precursors are popular recreational drugs due to their sedative, anxiolytic and sexually stimulating effects. Their use has been steadily increasing in recent years. The detoxification process is complex and prone to high rates of complications while little is known about the pathophysiology. This study aims to elucidate the characteristics of GHB-addicted patients and to evaluate the risks and complications of GHB withdrawal treatment. METHODS: This observational study describes prospectively the socioeconomic status, clinical history and course of inpatient detoxification treatment of a group of 39 patients suffering from GHB substance use disorder. Detoxification treatment took place in a highly specialized psychiatric inpatient unit for substance use disorders. RESULTS: GHB patients were characterised by being young, well-educated and by living alone. More than 50% of the patients had no regular income. The patients were male and female in equal numbers. Detoxification treatment was complicated, with high rates of delirium (30.8%) and high need for intensive care (20.5%). CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, GHB users were young, well-educated people and male and female in equal number. Detoxification proved to be dangerous for GHB-addicted patients. The presence of delirium and the need for transfer to an intensive care unit during detoxification treatment was extraordinarily high, even with appropriate clinical treatment. The reasons for this remain unknown. Therefore an intensive care unit should be available for GHB detoxification treatment. Further studies are needed to evaluate the options for prophylactic treatment of delirium during detoxification.

[Withdrawal syndrome following chronic use of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB)]. / Syndrome de sevrage lors d'une consommation chronique d'acide gamma-hydroxybutyrique (GHB).

Chronic use of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and its precursors can rapidly lead to physical dependence with the emergence of a withdrawal syndrome. This complication is similar to the one linked to alcohol or benzodiazepines. The onset of symptoms and specially neuro-psychiatric symptoms is, however, more rapid in the case of the GHB and precursors. There is currently no consensus on the therapeutic management of GHB withdrawal syndrome. High-dose benzodiazepines are the most commonly used treatment. The use of GHB by titration and tapering could show fewer side effects and withdrawal symptoms. It appears necessary to reflect on and pursue research on the use of GHB and its precursors, which remains poorly understood, on the management of withdrawal syndrome due to the lack of protocol and on its probably underestimated impact on public health.

La consommation chronique d'acide gamma-hydroxybutyrique (GHB) et de ses précurseurs peut rapidement entraîner une dépendance physique avec l'émergence d'un syndrome de sevrage à l'arrêt des consommations. Ce syndrome de sevrage présente des similitudes avec celui lié à l'alcool ou aux benzodiazépines. On retrouvera, cependant, une apparition et une évolution plus brutales ainsi que l'émergence, plus précoce, de symptômes neuropsychiatriques. Il n'y a actuellement pas de consensus concernant la prise en charge thérapeutique de ce syndrome de sevrage. Dès lors, le recours aux benzodiazépines à hautes doses constitue le traitement le plus régulièrement utilisé. L'utilisation de GHB médical, titré et avec une posologie progressivement diminuée, pourrait démontrer moins d'effets secondaires et de symptômes de sevrage. Il apparaît nécessaire de réfléchir et de poursuivre les recherches sur la consommation du GHB et ses précurseurs, qui reste largement méconnue, ainsi que sur la prise en charge du sevrage, au vu de l'absence de protocole et de son impact en santé publique, probablement sous-estimé.

Sodium Oxybate in Alcohol-Responsive Essential Tremor of Voice: An Open-Label Phase II Study.

BACKGROUND: Essential tremor of voice (ETv) is characterized by involuntary oscillations of laryngeal and upper airway muscles, causing rhythmic alterations in pitch and loudness during both passive breathing and active laryngeal tasks, such as speaking and singing. Treatment of ETv is challenging and typically less effective compared with treatment of ET affecting extremities. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a proof-of-concept, open-label phase II study to examine the efficacy and central effects of sodium oxybate in patients with alcohol-responsive ETv. METHODS: All subjects received 1.0 to 1.5 g of oral sodium oxybate and underwent brain functional magnetic resonance imaging. The primary endpoint was the number of patients (% from total) with reduced ETv symptoms by at least 10% at about 40 to 45 minutes after sodium oxybate intake based on the combined visual analog scale score of ETv symptom severity. The secondary endpoint included changes in brain activity after sodium oxybate intake compared to baseline. RESULTS: Sodium oxybate reduced ETv symptoms on average by 40.8% in 92.9% of patients. Drug effects were observed about 40 to 45 minutes after intake, lasting about 3.5 hours, and gradually wearing off by the end of the fifth hour. The central effects of sodium oxybate were associated with normalized activity in the cerebellum, inferior/superior parietal lobules, inferior frontal gyrus, and insula and re-established functional relationships between these regions. CONCLUSIONS: Sodium oxybate showed high efficacy in ETv patients, with a likely central action on disorder pathophysiology. Sodium oxybate may be an effective novel oral drug for treatment of alcohol-responsive ETv patients. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Long-term efficacy and safety of low-sodium oxybate in an open-label extension period of a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized withdrawal study in adults with idiopathic hypersomnia.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate 6-month efficacy and safety of low-sodium oxybate in people with idiopathic hypersomnia during an open-label extension period (OLE) of a phase 3 clinical trial. METHODS: Efficacy measures included the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Idiopathic Hypersomnia Severity Scale (IHSS), Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIc), Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire, short version (FOSQ-10), and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: Specific Health Problem (WPAI:SHP). Treatment-emergent adverse events were collected throughout the OLE. RESULTS: The OLE population included 106 participants. Most were female (71%) and White (83%), and the mean (SD) age was 41.0 (13.8) years. ESS scores decreased (improved) during the OLE (mean [SD], study baseline: 16.3 [2.8]; OLE week 2: 6.7 [4.7]; OLE end: 5.3 [3.7]), and IHSS total scores trended toward a decrease (study baseline: 32.6 [7.3]; OLE week 2: 16.2 [8.9]; OLE end: 14.8 [8.6]. Median (minimum, maximum) paired differences from OLE week 2 to OLE end were ESS, -1.0 (-20, 7; nominal P = .012); IHSS, -1.0 (-31, 19; nominal P = .086). The proportion of participants reporting PGIc ratings of "very much improved" increased from 36.7% at OLE week 2 to 53.8% at the OLE end. The FOSQ-10 and WPAI:SHP scores remained stable during OLE. The incidence of newly reported treatment-emergent adverse events decreased over the duration of the OLE. CONCLUSIONS: Efficacy and safety of low-sodium oxybate were maintained or improved during the 6-month OLE, supporting long-term treatment with low-sodium oxybate in adults with idiopathic hypersomnia. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: A Multicenter Study of the Efficacy and Safety of JZP-258 in the Treatment of Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH) With an Open-label Safety Extension; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03533114; Identifier: NCT03533114 and Registry: EU Clinical Trials; Name: A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Randomized Withdrawal, Multicenter Study of the Efficacy and Safety of JZP-258 in the Treatment of Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH) with an Open-label Safety Extension; URL: https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2018-001311-79/results; Identifier: 2018-001311-79. CITATION: Morse AM, Dauvilliers Y, Arnulf I, et al. Long-term efficacy and safety of low-sodium oxybate in an open-label extension period of a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized withdrawal study in adults with idiopathic hypersomnia. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(10):1811-1822.

Effectiveness and tolerability in people with narcolepsy transitioning from sodium oxybate to low-sodium oxybate: Data from the real-world TENOR study.

OBJECTIVES: The Transition Experience of persons with Narcolepsy taking Oxybate in the Real-world (TENOR) study was conducted to provide real-world insight into the experience of people with narcolepsy switching from sodium oxybate (SXB) to low-sodium oxybate (LXB; 92% less sodium than SXB). METHODS: TENOR is a patient-centric, prospective, observational, virtual-format study. Participants were adults with narcolepsy (type 1 or 2) who were transitioning from SXB to LXB treatment (±7 days from LXB initiation). Effectiveness and tolerability data were collected online from baseline (taking SXB) through 21 weeks (taking LXB) via daily and weekly diaries and questionnaires, including the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire, short version (FOSQ-10), and the British Columbia Cognitive Complaints Inventory (BC-CCI). RESULTS: TENOR participants (N = 85) were 73% female with a mean (SD) age of 40.3 (13.0) years. Mean (SD) ESS scores decreased numerically throughout the transition from SXB to LXB (baseline: 9.9 [5.2]; week 21: 7.5 [4.7]), with 59.5% and 75.0% of participants having scores in the normal range (≤10) at baseline and week 21, respectively. Mean (SD) FOSQ-10 scores (baseline: 14.4 [3.4]; week 21: 15.2 [3.2]) and BC-CCI scores (baseline: 6.1 [4.4]; week 21: 5.0 [4.3]) also remained stable. The most common symptoms related to tolerability reported by participants at baseline were sleep inertia, hyperhidrosis, and dizziness (45.2%, 40.5%, and 27.4%, respectively), which decreased in prevalence by week 21 (33.8%, 13.2%, and 8.8%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Findings from TENOR confirm maintenance of effectiveness and tolerability when transitioning from SXB to LXB treatment.

Clinician Preferences for Oxybate Treatment for Narcolepsy: Survey and Discrete Choice Experiment.

INTRODUCTION: Immediate-release sodium oxybate (SXB) has been Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved to treat narcolepsy since 2002; in 2020, a mixed-salt oxybates formulation was also approved. Both are taken at bedtime with a second dose taken 2.5-4 h later. A third oxybate option, an investigational extended-release SXB, may soon be available. This study was undertaken to understand clinicians' preferences between these 3 different oxybate treatments. METHODS: Clinicians in active clinical practice for 3-35 years and experience treating patients with narcolepsy were recruited. A 30-min web-based survey quantified narcolepsy disease-state attitudes, treatment perceptions, and satisfaction with oxybates on 9-point scales. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) of 12 choice sets, with 2 hypothetical treatment profiles in each, was used to capture clinician preferences about overall oxybate therapy preference, impact on patient quality of life (QoL), and patient anxiety/stress. Attributes associated with current therapies and those expected to be available in the near future were included in the design. RESULTS: The clinicians surveyed (n = 100) indicated that narcolepsy has a negative impact on patient QoL (mean rating, 7.7) and rated impact on QoL and treatment efficacy as the most important aspects of a narcolepsy treatment (mean rating, 7.3-7.7). Clinicians with experience prescribing oxybates had moderately high satisfaction with SXB and mixed-salt oxybates efficacy (mean ratings, 6.5-6.9) and safety (mean ratings, 6.1-6.7) and lower satisfaction with nightly dosing frequency (mean rating, 5.9 and 6.3, respectively). In the DCE, dosing frequency was the most important attribute driving overall product choice, patient QoL, and reducing patient anxiety/stress (relative attribute importance, 46.1, 41.7, and 44.0, respectively), with once nightly preferred over twice nightly. CONCLUSION: Clinicians indicated a significantly higher preference for the once-at-bedtime dosing schedule versus twice nightly in selecting oxybate therapies overall and when aiming to improve patient QoL or reduce patient anxiety.

Current medications for narcolepsy include immediate-release sodium oxybate and mixed-salt oxybates. People taking these oxybates for narcolepsy take 1 dose at bedtime and must wake up 2.5­4 h later for the second dose. An investigational sodium oxybate, designed as a single bedtime dose, has been tentatively approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This study used a 30-min web-based survey to learn what clinicians think about narcolepsy and narcolepsy medicines. A discrete choice experiment was used to identify which properties of current/future oxybate medicines are most important in a narcolepsy treatment. In this exercise, relevant properties of current/future oxybate medicines were mixed and matched to create hypothetical medicine profiles. Clinicians selected from these profiles which medication they preferred overall, which would improve patient quality of life, and which would reduce patient anxiety when thinking about taking the treatment. Clinicians were moderately satisfied with the effectiveness and safety of current narcolepsy medications. They strongly preferred oxybate treatments with fewer nightly doses and agreed that waking up for the second oxybate dose causes stress for patients. In the discrete choice experiment, the number of doses each night was the product characteristic that had the biggest impact on clinicians picking a medicine for narcolepsy. This was true for overall medicine choice, choosing a medicine that would improve patient quality of life, and choosing one that would reduce patient anxiety/stress. If granted marketing approval, extended-release sodium oxybate will be a once-at-bedtime option that may overcome challenges with current oxybate therapies.

Calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium oxybates oral solution for cataplexy or excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy.

INTRODUCTION: Lower-sodium oxybate (LXB) is a novel formulation that is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat cataplexy and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in adult patients and children ≥7 years with narcolepsy. LXB contains 92% less sodium than sodium oxybate (SXB), which adds 550-1640 mg of sodium/day at usual doses of 3-9 g/day. The FDA has declared LXB to be clinically superior to SXB due to greater safety by reducing the chronic sodium load. Narcolepsy patients have high comorbidities for hypertension and cardiovascular disease conditions, which can be adversely affected by high sodium intake. AREAS COVERED: This drug review discusses narcolepsy, current and upcoming pharmacotherapy, and LXB chemistry, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and metabolism. Published results from LXB's phase 1 studies, a phase 3 study, and two post-marketing studies are reviewed. Databases searched included PubMed, Google Scholar, Lexi-Comp, Scopus, Science, and Ovid. EXPERT OPINION: LXB is efficacious in treating daytime sleepiness and cataplexy in adults and children ≥7 years with narcolepsy. Using LXB instead of SXB formulations may benefit narcolepsy patients with cardiovascular comorbidities and hypertension, but long-term studies are needed to prove it.

Long-Term Safety and Tolerability During a Clinical Trial and Open-Label Extension of Low-Sodium Oxybate in Participants with Narcolepsy with Cataplexy.

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of low-sodium oxybate (LXB; Xywav®) were established in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 withdrawal study in adults with narcolepsy with cataplexy; however, the longer-term safety profile has not yet been examined. The aim of the current analysis was to assess the time of onset and duration of common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) for LXB throughout the open-label optimized treatment and titration period (OLOTTP) and the stable dose period (SDP) portions of the main study, and the subsequent 24-week open-label extension (OLE). METHODS: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized withdrawal trial of LXB, TEAEs were evaluated during the 12-week OLOTTP, the 2-week SDP, and the subsequent 24-week OLE. Eligible participants were aged 18-70 years with a diagnosis of narcolepsy with cataplexy. At study entry, participants were taking sodium oxybate (SXB) alone, SXB with other anticataplectics, other anticataplectics alone, or were anticataplectic-treatment naive; other anticataplectics were tapered and discontinued during the OLOTTP. All participants initiated LXB during week 1 of the OLOTTP, and their dose was individually titrated based on safety and efficacy. Following the main study period, participants entered the OLE after rescreening (re-entry) after discontinuing LXB treatment or directly after completing the main study (rollover). TEAEs were assessed in the safety population as of database lock. TEAE duration was defined as time from TEAE start date to end date (or end of SDP or OLE, if end date was unrecorded). RESULTS: The safety population included 201 participants (SXB alone, n = 52; SXB with other anticataplectics, n = 23; other anticataplectics alone, n = 36; anticataplectic-treatment naive, n = 90). During the OLOTTP/SDP, headache was the most common LXB-emergent TEAE overall (71 events; n = 42 (21%); median (range) duration = 1 (1-147) day), followed by nausea (31 events; n = 26 (13%); median (range) duration = 9 (1-54) days) and dizziness (26 events; n = 21 (10%); median (range) duration = 7 (1-117) days). Among the 74 participants in the OLE, the most commonly reported TEAEs were headache (14 events; n = 7, 9%; peak incidence month 3 (n = 5/72); median (range) duration = 1 (1‒25) day), dizziness (8 events; n = 5, 7%; peak incidence month 1 (n = 3/74); median (range) duration = 26 (1‒181) days), and nasopharyngitis (6 events; n = 6, 8%; peak incidence month 6 (n = 2/69); median (range) duration = 9 (1‒24) days). Overall, study discontinuations attributed to TEAEs were 21/65 (32%) during the OLOTTP and SDP and 3/7 (43%) during the OLE. CONCLUSIONS: In this long-term analysis, the safety and tolerability profile of LXB was generally consistent with the known safety profile of SXB. During the OLOTTP and SDP, most TEAEs occurred early and were generally of short duration. TEAE prevalence decreased throughout the duration of the OLE; the most common TEAEs reported during the OLE were headache, dizziness, and nasopharyngitis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03030599 (25 January 2017).

Low-sodium oxybate (LXB) is a medicine for narcolepsy. LXB treats daytime sleepiness and cataplexy (sudden muscle weakness). LXB is like sodium oxybate (SXB) but has 92% less sodium. This study looked at side effects in people taking LXB for many months. Three study periods were looked at in this report. In period 1, people could change their LXB dose for 12 weeks. This was to find their best dose. In period 2, people took that same best dose for 2 weeks. In period 3, some people kept taking LXB for 24 weeks. This was to study the longer-term effects. Everyone knew that they were taking LXB. During periods 1 and 2, the most common side effect was headache. Nausea and dizziness were also common. During period 3, headache was also the most common side effect. Dizziness and nasopharyngitis were also common. Nasopharyngitis is a cold in the nose and throat. In periods 1 and 2, most side effects happened early on. They also ended quickly. Fewer side effects happened in period 3. Among people leaving the study early, 32% left because of side effects during periods 1 and 2. During period 3, 43% left because of side effects. Overall, long-term side effects in people taking LXB were similar to those seen with SXB.

Long-term follow-up on the effects of sodium oxybate on daytime sleepiness and sleep architecture in patients with narcolepsy type 1. / Efecto a largo plazo del oxibato de sodio en la somnolencia diurna y en la estructura del sueño en pacientes con narcolepsia de tipo 1.

INTRODUCTION: Sodium oxybate (SXB) was administered for the first time in 1979 in 16 patients with narcolepsy with cataplexy (NT1) that improved up to 20 months. AIMS: To evaluate the effect of SXB on daytime sleepiness and sleep architecture by video-polysomnography in a sample of 23 NT1 adult patients (13 men, 10 females) treated up to three years. Additional goal was to study the presence of sleep comorbidities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: NT1 patients were diagnosed according to International Classification of Sleep Disorders, third edition. We conducted a longitudinal observational study and a video-polysomnography comparing the sleep parameters of patients treated with an initial nocturnal dose of 4.5 g of SXB after six months (FU-1), one year (FU-2) and three years (FU-3) of uninterrupted treatment. Video-polysomnography parameters were analyzed including apnea-hypopnea and periodic leg movements indexes. RESULTS: Patients were HLA-DQB1*06:02 positive except a familial case. Thirteen patients (56%) discontinued SXB treatment over the three-year of the study. The two-nightly doses has been one of the reason for discontinuing treatment as well as insufficient compliance, mild or severe side effects, comorbidities and pregnancy. We found significant differences at FU-2 in sleep structure with an increased in stage N2 (p < 0.03) and a higher periodic leg movements index (p < 0.01). At FU-3 we found significant differences in sleep structure with an increase in stage N1 (p = 0.03) and in comorbidities (periodic leg movements and apnea-hypopnea indexes). There was not significant change on daytime sleepiness during the study. CONCLUSIONS: SXB was administered in low-medium doses. Two-nightly doses and sleep fragmentation linked to sleep comorbidities at long-term lead to drug withdrawal.

TITLE: Efecto a largo plazo del oxibato de sodio en la somnolencia diurna y en la estructura del sueño en pacientes con narcolepsia de tipo 1.Introducción. El oxibato de sodio (SXB) se utilizó en 1979 en 16 enfermos con narcolepsia-cataplejía (NT1) que mejoraron tras 20 meses de tratamiento. Objetivos. Evaluar el efecto del SXB en la somnolencia diurna y en la estructura del sueño mediante videopolisomnografía en una muestra de 23 enfermos de NT1 (13 hombres y 10 mujeres) tratados durante tres años. Investigamos adicionalmente la presencia de comorbilidad. Pacientes y métodos. Diagnosticamos a los enfermos de acuerdo con la Clasificación Internacional de Trastornos del Sueño, tercera edición. Realizamos un estudio longitudinal, observacional y de videopolisomnografía, comparando los parámetros de sueño y los índices de apnea-hipopnea y de movimientos periódicos de las piernas de los enfermos, tratados con una dosis nocturna inicial de 4,5 g de SXB al cabo de seis meses (C-1), un año (C-2) y tres años (C-3) de tratamiento ininterrumpido. Resultados. Todos los enfermos eran HLA-DQB1*06:02 positivos, excepto un caso familiar. Trece enfermos (56%) interrumpieron el tratamiento debido a las dos tomas nocturnas, así como a la presencia de efectos secundarios, comorbilidad y embarazo. Encontramos diferencias significativas en C-2 en la estructura del sueño con aumento del estadio N2 (p < 0,03) y del índice de movimientos periódicos de las piernas (p < 0,01). En el control C-3 encontramos diferencias significativas en la estructura del sueño con aumento del estadio N1 (p = 0,03), y de los índices de movimientos periódicos de las piernas y de apnea-hipopnea. Conclusiones. El SXB se administró en dos dosis nocturnas, lo que, unido a la fragmentación del sueño y a la aparición de comorbilidades, condujo a la interrupción del tratamiento a largo plazo.