Narcolepsy: Comorbidities, complexities and future directions

Sajni Gudka; Emma Haynes; Joanne Scotney; Sutapa Mukherjee; Simon Frenkel; Sheila Sivam; John Swieca; Ksenia Chamula; David Cunnington; Bandana Saini

doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101669

Narcolepsy: Comorbidities, complexities and future directions

Sleep Med Rev. 2022 Oct:65:101669. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101669. Epub 2022 Aug 11.

Authors

Sajni Gudka¹, Emma Haynes², Joanne Scotney³, Sutapa Mukherjee⁴, Simon Frenkel⁵, Sheila Sivam⁶, John Swieca⁷, Ksenia Chamula⁸, David Cunnington⁹, Bandana Saini¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Urban Impact Project and Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
² Urban Impact Project and Research Fellow, School of Population and Global Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
³ Urban Impact Project, Perth, WA, Australia.
⁴ Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University and Respiratory and Sleep Services, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, SA Health, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
⁵ Western Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁶ Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁷ Sleep Doctors Australia, Melbourne Sleep Disorders Centre, VIC, Australia.
⁸ Sleep Doctors Australia, VIC, Australia.
⁹ Melbourne Sleep Disorders Centre, VIC, Australia.
¹⁰ Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: bandana.saini@sydney.edu.au.

PMID: 36037569
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101669

Abstract

Patients with narcolepsy live with a lifelong sleep-wake disorder, impairing their quality of life, productivity, educational and employment outcomes. Clinicians are becoming aware that a significant aspect of the burden of this disease relates to frequent comorbid conditions, including aspects of the patient's emotional, metabolic, sleep and immune health. This review explores the literature describing the comorbidities seen in patients with narcolepsy, to enhance understanding of these often complex presentations. It hopes to encourage a multidisciplinary approach, to collaborate with patients and a broad clinical team, and to maximise clinical and quality of life outcomes, for those living with narcolepsy.

Keywords: Cataplexy; Chronic disease; Comorbidity; Hypersomnia; Literature review; Multidisciplinary; Narcolepsy; Sleep disorders.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cataplexy* / epidemiology
Comorbidity
Humans
Narcolepsy* / epidemiology
Quality of Life
Sleep