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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sleep Sci 2021; 14(03): 236-244
DOI: 10.5935/1984-0063.20200071
ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Comparative effects of psychotropic medications on sleep architecture: a retrospective review of diagnostic polysomnography sleep parameters

Authors

  • Elias Ghossoub

    1   American University of Beirut, Psychiatry, Beirut, Lebanon.

  • Luna Geagea

    1   American University of Beirut, Psychiatry, Beirut, Lebanon.

  • Firas Kobeissy

    2   American University of Beirut, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Beirut, Beriut, Lebanon.

  • Farid Talih

    1   American University of Beirut, Psychiatry, Beirut, Lebanon.
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ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the effects of different psychotropic drugs on sleep architecture and sleep-related disorders.

Material and Methods: In this retrospective review of 405 consecutive de-identified diagnostic polysomnograms performed at a sleep laboratory from 2007 until 2011, we grouped 347 polysomnograms into five categories: controls, antidepressants (AD), antidepressants + anticonvulsants (ADAC), antidepressants + antipsychotics (ADAP), antidepressants + anticonvulsants + antipsychotics (ADACP). We conducted pairwise comparisons for demographic characteristics, medical history, specific psychotropic medication uses and sleep architecture variables, and adjusted for multiple testing. We used logistic regression to determine the odds ratio of having elevated apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and periodic limb movement index (PLMI) within each group as compared to controls.

Results: Compared to controls, all groups had a significantly higher prevalence of benzodiazepines and trazodone use. AD and ADACP had significantly longer REM latency and lower REM percentage of total sleep time compared to controls. ADAP had a significantly lower AHI compared to controls, but that association was lost in the regression model. AD was associated with a higher PLMI compared to controls.

Conclusion: Psychotropic polypharmacy does not seem to be associated with significantly deleterious effects on sleep architecture. Adjunct anticonvulsants or antipsychotics to antidepressants may protect against periodic limb movement disorder.

Keywords:

Sleep Wake Disorders - Nocturnal Myoclonus Syndrome - Periodic Limb Movements Disorder - Sleep Apnea

Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.


Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.


Ethical approval ID

PSY.FT.07 AUB IRB.


Supplementary Material



Publication History

Received: 19 July 2020

Accepted: 03 November 2020

Article published online:
30 November 2023

© 2021. Brazilian Sleep Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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