0723 Associations Between Opioids, Non-Opioids and Central Sleep Apnea: A Case-Control Study

Abstract Introduction Opioids are known to contribute to central sleep apnea (CSA), as they depress responsiveness to carbon dioxide and hypoxia. However, the role of non-opioid medications (antihistamines, myorelaxants, neuroleptics, antidepressants, and hypnotics) in CSA remains unclear. Given the hypothesized impact of non-opioids on the central nervous system, we examined associations between opioid and non-opioid medications and CSA. Methods Among all adults who underwent polysomnography testing at the University of Michigan’s Sleep Center between 2013-2018 (n=10,479), we identified 105 cases of CSA. Of these patients, we randomly selected 300 controls. Demographic and health characteristics, use of medications were obtained from medical charts. We classified study participants into three categories based on medication use: non-opioids only, opioids alone or in combination with non-opioids, and none. CSA was defined as a binary outcome using polysomnographic criteria as per the International Classification of Sleep Disorders-Third Edition. We used logistic regression to examine associations between medication use and CSA. Results Among participants, male:female ratio was 1:1 with a mean age of 49 (±14.3 SD) years. Opioid use alone was rare (4%), but more common in combination with non-opioids (17%), while the exclusive use of non-opioids was found among 38%. In adjusted analyses for age and sex, those who used non-opioid alone were less likely to have a CSA diagnosis (OR=0.88, (95% CI 0.5-1.6); however, the use of opioids (alone or in combination with non-opioids) was associated with a 4-fold higher odds of CSA. Conclusion These data suggest that non-opioids have a protective influence on CSA. Conversely, opioids, alone, or in combination with non-opioids, were associated with increased CSA risk, that may be attributed to opioids alone, or to opioids and non-opioids interactions. However, as opioids were mostly co-prescribed with non-opioids, the sole effect of opioids from the synergistic effect with non-opioids are difficult to disentangle. Support Dr. Gavidia was supported by a T32 Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Neuroscience NIH/NINDS T32 NS 007222