Lower Sodium Oxybate for Narcolepsy: Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, DO, MS

“The main advantage of lower sodium oxybate over sodium oxybate is the sodium content. Lower sodium oxybate contains 92% less sodium. The full dose of sodium oxybate, or Xyrem, contains over 1600 milligrams of sodium a day, which is more than the recommended daily allowance of sodium.”

Data from a recent study presented at the 2021 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, April 17-22, by Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, DO, MS, director, Sleep Disorders Center, Cleveland Clinic suggest that lower-sodium oxybate (LXB) has efficacy in line with sodium oxybate (SXB; Xyrem; Jazz Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of cataplexy and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in adults with narcolepsy.

Foldvary-Schaefer and colleagues found that 91% of those taking SXB at study entry had no dose adjustment or adjustments within 1 titration step (±1.5 g/night). The median number of adjustments was 0.0 (range, 0-8) in participants taking SXB at study entry and 3.0 (range, 0-7) in participants not taking SXB at study entry.

NeurologyLive spoke with Foldvary-Schaefer to learn more about the advantages of LXB over SXB. She also discussed further research being conducted in the treatment and more research she would like to see conducted.

For more coverage of AAN 2021, click here.

REFERENCES

1. Foldvary-Schaefer NR, Bogan RK, Thorpy MJ, Huang L, Skowronski R, Dauvilliers Y. Lower-sodium oxybate dose titration and transition from sodium oxybate in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized withdrawal study in adult participants with narcolepsy with cataplexy. Presented at 2021 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting; April 17-22. Abstract P26 013