Exploratory polysomnographic evaluation of pregabalin on sleep disturbance in patients with epilepsy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of adjunctive pregabalin 300 mg/day versus placebo on polysomnographic (PSG) variables in patients with well controlled partial seizures and subjectively reported sleep disturbance.


METHODS
An exploratory, 4-week, double-blind, randomized study in patients with well controlled partial seizures on AED monotherapy and subjective sleep disturbance over the previous 6 months. Mean changes from baseline to endpoint in PSG and subjective sleep variables (MOS Sleep Scale, Groningen Sleep Questionnaire) in patients on adjunctive pregabalin 300 mg/day (n=8) were compared with patients on placebo (n=7).


RESULTS
Baseline PSGs showed sleep fragmentation. Mean sleep efficiency improved significantly in both treatment groups in the mean baseline to endpoint change; there was no significant between-group difference. Pregabalin treatment was associated with a significant reduction in number of awakenings (p = 0.02), and improvement in wake time after sleep onset approached significance (p = 0.055), suggesting improvement in sleep continuity that was not observed in the placebo group. Pregabalin was also associated with significant improvements in the MOS sleep disturbance and sleep quantity subscales compared with placebo (p < or =0.03). There were no changes in self-reported seizure control.


CONCLUSIONS
This exploratory pilot study suggests that pregabalin may improve sleep continuity in patients with clinically relevant sleep disturbance. The effect on disturbed sleep appears independent of seizure control. The effects of pregabalin on disturbed sleep and seizures and their interrelationships warrant further study.
de Haas
Sanne
S
Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR), Leiden, The Netherlands. shaas@chdr.nl
Otte
Andreas
A
de Weerd
Al
A
van Erp
Gerard
G
Cohen
Adam
A
van Gerven
Joop
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017286:Polysomnography; D000069583:Pregabalin; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*