Abstract Introduction Once-nightly sodium oxybate (ON-SXB) is approved to treat cataplexy or excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in patients ≥7 years of age with narcolepsy. ON-SXB demonstrated significant improvements in both objective (Maintenance of Wakefulness Test) and subjective (Epworth Sleepiness Scale ESS score) measurements of sleepiness in the REST-ON trial and via the ESS in the real-world REFRESH study. Assessing ON-SXB ESS data from a specialty pharmacy and outside of clinical studies further informs the generalizability of effectiveness. Methods Demographic and clinical data were collected from Optum Frontier Therapies pharmacy for patients with ≥1 filled ON-SXB prescription, ≥1 ON-SXB-related clinical assessment, and ≥1 follow-up ESS score (6/1/2023-9/30/2024). Participation in ESS assessment was voluntary. ESS scores were assessed for patients who switched from twice-nightly oxybate (TN-OXB) treatment (first ON-SXB prescription filled ≤30 days of last TN-OXB prescription switch) and those new to oxybate or with 30 days between TN-OXB and ON-SXB prescription fills (not-on-oxybate) who had ESS data at initial ON-SXB prescription and at each follow-up assessment. Results Of 452 identified patients, 215 had ≥1 follow-up ESS score (switch, n=82 mean age, 38.4 years; female, 71%; not-on-oxybate, n=133 mean age, 40.0 years; female, 71%). Of patients who had any prior oxybate use (switch, 100%; not-on-oxybate, 46%), the most common prior oxybate was mixed-salt oxybates (switch, 59%; not-on-oxybate, 70%). Stimulants/wake-promoting agents were taken by 51% of switch and 65% of not-on-oxybate patients. Baseline mean (SD) ESS scores were 11.3 (5.5) for switch and 12.5 (5.6) for not-on-oxybate patients; 23% of switch and 38% of not-on-oxybate patients experienced severe EDS. By the first follow-up (median IQR, 49 28-94 days), mean (SD) ESS scores were within the normal EDS range with ON-SXB for both subgroups (ie, ESS 10; switch, 9.7 5.5; not-on-oxybate, 9.5 5.2); the majority reported normal levels of daytime sleepiness (switch, 56%; not-on-oxybate, 57%). Mean (SD) change in ESS score from baseline to follow-up was -1.6 4.5 for switch and -3.1 5.0 for not-on-oxybate groups. Conclusion Patients who initiated ON-SXB experienced improvements in daytime sleepiness regardless of prior TN-OXB use, and many achieved normal levels of daytime sleepiness in ≤2 months of starting ON-SXB. Support (if any) Avadel Pharmaceuticals
Herpel et al. (Fri,) studied this question.