Effects of Quetiapine on Sleep and Next Day Alertness in People With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Summary

Quetiapine is medication used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Increasingly, low doses of quetiapine are prescribed "off-label" for insomnia. Quetiapine increases sleep duration with fewer interruptions, and people report feeling more rested. This accounts for why it is popular to prescribe for insomnia. Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) share many symptoms and differential diagnosis can be difficult. While quetiapine may improve sleep and breathing in certain people (i.e in light sleepers) an initial study indicated that quetiapine caused breathing disturbances in healthy individuals. Effects in OSA are unknown. In this placebo-controlled double blind study, participants with mild-moderate OSA will spend 2 nights in the sleep lab, one with quetiapine at a dose commonly prescribed for insomnia and one with placebo. The investigators will assess participants sleep by standard clinical sleep study, and morning alertness using questionnaires, reaction tests, and a driving simulator test.

Timeline

Start

2022-05-25

Primary completion

2023-04-04

Completion

2023-04-04

Publications

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• Background Pringsheim T, Gardner DM. Dispensed prescriptions for quetiapine and other second-generation antipsychotics in Canada from 2005 to 2012: a descriptive study. CMAJ Open. 2014 Oct 1;2(4):E225-32. doi: 10.9778/cmajo.20140009. eCollection 2014 Oct.
• Background Cohrs S, Rodenbeck A, Guan Z, Pohlmann K, Jordan W, Meier A, Ruther E. Sleep-promoting properties of quetiapine in healthy subjects. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2004 Jul;174(3):421-9. doi: 10.1007/s00213-003-1759-5. Epub 2004 Mar 17.
• Background Karsten J, Hagenauw LA, Kamphuis J, Lancel M. Low doses of mirtazapine or quetiapine for transient insomnia: A randomised, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled trial. J Psychopharmacol. 2017 Mar;31(3):327-337. doi: 10.1177/0269881116681399. Epub 2017 Jan 16.
• Background Meira E Cruz M, Kryger MH, Morin CM, Palombini L, Salles C, Gozal D. Comorbid Insomnia and Sleep Apnea: mechanisms and implications of an underrecognized and misinterpreted sleep disorder. Sleep Med. 2021 Aug;84:283-288. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2021.05.043. Epub 2021 Jun 8.
• Background Sweetman A, Lack L, McEvoy RD, Smith S, Eckert DJ, Osman A, Carberry JC, Wallace D, Nguyen PD, Catcheside P. Bi-directional relationships between co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnea (COMISA). Sleep Med Rev. 2021 Dec;60:101519. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101519. Epub 2021 Jun 23.
• Background Benjafield AV, Ayas NT, Eastwood PR, Heinzer R, Ip MSM, Morrell MJ, Nunez CM, Patel SR, Penzel T, Pepin JL, Peppard PE, Sinha S, Tufik S, Valentine K, Malhotra A. Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis. Lancet Respir Med. 2019 Aug;7(8):687-698. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(19)30198-5. Epub 2019 Jul 9.
• Background Eckert DJ. Phenotypic approaches to obstructive sleep apnoea - New pathways for targeted therapy. Sleep Med Rev. 2018 Feb;37:45-59. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2016.12.003. Epub 2016 Dec 18.
• Background Eckert DJ, White DP, Jordan AS, Malhotra A, Wellman A. Defining phenotypic causes of obstructive sleep apnea. Identification of novel therapeutic targets. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2013 Oct 15;188(8):996-1004. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201303-0448OC.
• Background Carter SG, Eckert DJ. Effects of hypnotics on obstructive sleep apnea endotypes and severity: Novel insights into pathophysiology and treatment. Sleep Med Rev. 2021 Aug;58:101492. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101492. Epub 2021 Apr 22.
• Background Eckert DJ, Owens RL, Kehlmann GB, Wellman A, Rahangdale S, Yim-Yeh S, White DP, Malhotra A. Eszopiclone increases the respiratory arousal threshold and lowers the apnoea/hypopnoea index in obstructive sleep apnoea patients with a low arousal threshold. Clin Sci (Lond). 2011 Jun;120(12):505-14. doi: 10.1042/CS20100588.
• Background Khazaie H, Sharafkhaneh A, Khazaie S, Ghadami MR. A weight-independent association between atypical antipsychotic medications and obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep Breath. 2018 Mar;22(1):109-114. doi: 10.1007/s11325-017-1537-y. Epub 2017 Jul 13.
• Background Sleep-related breathing disorders in adults: recommendations for syndrome definition and measurement techniques in clinical research. The Report of an American Academy of Sleep Medicine Task Force. Sleep. 1999 Aug 1;22(5):667-89. No abstract available.
• Fauska C, Bastiampillai T, Rawson G, Toson B, Vakulin A, Adams R, Wittert G, Loffler KA, Eckert DJ. Quetiapine modestly improves sleep and breathing but impairs next day performance in people with OSA and difficulty maintaining sleep: A randomized controlled trial. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2026 Apr 10:aaoag092. doi: 10.1093/annalsats/aaoag092. Online ahead of print.

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