Trend Toward Survival Benefit Seen for REM-Inhibition in ALS
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, May 22, 2025 -- For patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), rapid eye movement (REM) inhibition via receipt of antidepressant medication is associated with a trend toward survival benefit, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2025 International Conference, held from May 18 to 21 in San Francisco.
Cosmo Fowler, M.D., from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, and colleagues queried the TriNetX research network to examine whether pharmacological suppression of REM sleep can improve sleep disordered breathing and nocturnal hypoxemia in ALS. Data were included for 17,444 patients with ALS who had been prescribed riluzole; 14.3 percent comprised the REM-inhibited cohort (patients were prescribed one of several antidepressant medications associated with the suppression of REM sleep in the three years preceding inclusion criteria) and 2.1 percent comprised the non-REM-inhibited cohort (patients received antidepressants not linked to REM suppression). Patients who received prescriptions from both classes were excluded.
The researchers found that prior to propensity-score matching using age, race, and gender, the REM-inhibited group had significantly higher two-year Kaplan-Meier survival (47.18 versus 41.06 percent), with a hazard ratio of 1.21 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.022 to 1.433). After matching, the survival benefit trend persisted but did not reach significance (48.13 versus 41.06 percent; hazard ratio, 1.23; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.981 to 1.547). A consistent treatment effect was suggested by preserved proportionality throughout follow-up.
"While our investigation was limited by its retrospective nature and potential confounding factors inherent to electronic health record data, the results suggest that pharmacologically targeting a period of known vulnerability in ALS may have meaningful clinical impact," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted May 2025
Read this next
Daytime Napping Behaviors in Middle-Aged, Older Adults Impact Mortality Risk
WEDNESDAY, June 11, 2025 -- Certain objectively measured daytime napping behaviors are associated with an increased risk for mortality for middle- to older-aged adults, according...
Doctors Favor CPAP, Patients Favor Tirzepatide for Comorbid Obesity, Sleep Apnea
MONDAY, June 9, 2025 -- Both continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and tirzepatide are acceptable treatments for comorbid obesity and obstructive sleep apnea (COBOSA), with...
Psoriasis Tied to Increased Risk for Sleep Disorders
MONDAY, June 2, 2025 -- Both mild and moderate-to-severe psoriasis are significantly associated with an increased risk for sleep disorders, according to a study published online...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.