Dimethyl Fumarate for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

University of Michigan65 enrolled

Overview

The overall purpose of this study is to determine whether the oral medication dimethyl fumarate is an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea in patients who are unable, unwilling, or uneager to use positive airway pressure therapy.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder that involves collapse of the upper airway during sleep, leading to low blood oxygen levels and sleep disruption. Untreated OSA increases the risk of many health consequences, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, memory problems, fatigue, sleepiness, and impaired memory. Despite its profound public health and societal impact, there are no known medications that can effectively treat OSA, and up to 50% of patients cannot tolerate current treatments. The primary treatment for OSA, known as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), is delivered by a mechanical device and mask that blows air into the airway to keep it open during sleep. Although CPAP controls OSA, many patients can't tolerate the discomfort of the mask, and up to 50% of patients cannot use CPAP appropriately. Several recent studies of OSA patients suggest that inflammation in the airway and the bloodstream may worsen OSA, and that medications that control inflammation may improve OSA. In particular, a previous study from the researchers suggests that multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who are on MS therapies that control inflammation may have less severe OSA than those who are not. MS is an autoimmune disease that is associated with inflammation of the nervous system. As OSA may also be caused or worsened by inflammation, this clinical trial aims to study the effects of a specific MS medication known as dimethyl fumarate (brand name - Tecfidera®) to see if it may also be useful to treat OSA. Tecfidera® is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat patients with MS. However, it is not approved by the FDA for the treatment of OSA and is thus considered an investigational drug in this study. Study-related activities will last for 5 months. Consenting participants will receive a baseline overnight sleep study to assess their current sleep apnea severity. Participants will then be given either oral dimethyl fumarate or placebo for a period of 4 months, and will be followed on a monthly basis during the course of the study. At the end of the study, participants will undergo a repeat overnight sleep study to monitor for changes in their sleep apnea severity. Treatments will be assigned at random (like flipping a coin), and participants will not be aware of which treatment they receive. There is a 2/3 chance that participants will receive dimethyl fumarate. Participants will also undergo blood draws and complete several surveys during their monthly study visits. Participants will be compensated for their travel and time throughout the course of the study.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Obstructive Sleep Apnea OSA Sleep Apnea

Interventions

Dimethyl fumarateDRUG

Dimethyl fumarate capsules will be dispensed during routine study appointments. 120 mg tablets will be dispensed to facilitate dose titrations. Drug will be dispensed in 1 month supply, so that compliance can be reconciled at monthly follow-up visits, and recorded in accountability logs. Participants will be instructed to take the medication with food, in the morning and at dinnertime. If participants miss a dose, they will be instructed to resume their normal dose at the next scheduled time, and be instructed not to take an extra dose at their next dosing interval if they previously miss a dose.

PlaceboDRUG

Placebo capsules will be dispensed during routine study appointments. Placebo will be dispensed in 1 month supply, so that compliance can be reconciled at monthly follow-up visits, and recorded in accountability logs. Participants will be instructed to take the placebo with food, in the morning and at dinnertime. If participants miss a dose, they will be instructed to resume their normal dose at the next scheduled time, and be instructed not to take an extra dose at their next dosing interval if they previously miss a dose.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age of 18-65 years at screening; 2. Diagnosis of OSA as confirmed by previous clinical sleep study (polysomnography, PSG); 3. Refusal, inability, or high reluctance to use CPAP regularly for treatment of OSA, despite medical advice; 4. Willingness to undergo repeat sleep study (PSG) and blood studies; 5. Normal immune cell counts, as evidenced by complete blood count (CBC) done at screening Exclusion Criteria: 1. Regular use of CPAP within the last 2 months 2. Physical, psychiatric or cognitive impairment that prevents informed consent, PSG, or reliable follow-up; 3. Cardiac conditions that may increase sleep apnea severity (e.g., congestive heart failure or recent heart attack); 4. Current successful treatment for obstructive or central sleep apnea, for example by CPAP, and patient agreement to continue with that treatment; 5. History of surgical treatment for OSA within past 6 months, or subsequent to last PSG confirmation that OSA is present; 6. Active nervous system diseases that may predispose subjects to OSA; 7. Systemic autoimmune disease that could increase inflammation and influence apnea severity (such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus); 8. Pregnancy or breastfeeding; 9. Use of immunotherapies or immunosuppressants, currently or within past 6 months; 10. Anticipated initiation or dose change in tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin uptake inhibitors, or related compounds; 11. Participants with a history of active, serious or persistent infections. 12. Participants with recent surgery (within 3 months prior to screening), or anticipated surgery during the length of the study. 13. Systemic steroid use within the last 2 months (does not include local steroid injections or intranasal steroid spray); 14. Current diagnosis of cancer that is not considered to be cured or in remission by the treating physician, cancer treatment of any kind within the last 6 months prior to screening (chemo, radiation, surgery), or anticipated cancer treatment during the length of the study; 15. History of a lymphoproliferative disorder (such as leukemia); 16. History of Multiple Myeloma 17. History of decreased immune cell counts per a blood test known as a CBC, specifically lymphocyte counts less than 1.2 K/μL at screening. 18. Refusal to use at least one reliable method of birth control (for women of childbearing age) 19. Newly diagnosed (within 2 months) OSA subjects who have an AHI \> 30 and history of serious, recent, or unstable cardiovascular disease (including but not limited to recent MI, recent stroke/TIA, or unstable angina) 20. Participants who report previous motor vehicle accidents or near-misses presumed to be due to excessive sleepiness while driving. 21. Any other condition or treatment that in the opinion of the investigator could affect subject safety or study eligibility.

Locations (1)

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Mean Change in Apnea Severity as Measured by the Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI)

For the 50 participants who had interpretable month 4 polysomnography (PSG) data available, mean change in sleep apnea severity, as measured by the mean change in respiratory disturbance index (RDI) between baseline (Month 0) PSG and Month 4 PSG, was calculated. The RDI represents the total number of apneas, hypopneas and respiratory-related arousals per hour of sleep.

Time frame: Month 0 to Month 4

Secondary Outcomes

Mean Change in Serum Cytokine Levels (Mean Difference of Log-transformed Values)

Levels of markers in the blood known as cytokines (measured in picograms per milliliter) were measured on a monthly basis from Month 0 (baseline) to Month 4. The outcome is the mean difference in cytokine level from baseline to month 4 (mean level at Month 4 - mean level at Baseline). Values were log-transformed for normality, prior to analysis.

Time frame: Month 0 to Month 4

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.