Establishing a diagnosis of hypersomnia—recurrent episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) or prolonged nighttime sleep—requires a stepwise assessment. We describe a complex case of an older adult who presented with multiple potential causes of hypersomnolence.
CASE REPORT
Persistent daytime sleepiness
Mr. W, age 63, is a veteran with a medical history significant for severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), insomnia, restless leg syndrome, hypertension, and major depressive disorder. He reported long-standing EDS that was causing functional and social impairment. Mr. W’s EDS persisted despite the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. A download of his CPAP compliance summary revealed both optimal CPAP adherence (>7-hour usage for 95%) and control of OSA (Apnea Hypopnea Index <5). His Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score remained at 20 out of 24. Another clinician had previously prescribed modafinil to treat Mr. W’s EDS, which was presumed to be related to sleep apnea. At the time of assessment, Mr. W was taking modafinil, 200 mg every morning, without significant relief of his daytime somnolence. Laboratory results revealed normal liver function tests, electrolytes, and hormonal levels, and a urine toxicology was negative. Mr. W said he constantly rubbed his legs to ease his bilateral leg movement. He reported both sensory and motor components, and relief with movement and absence of sensations in the morning.1 Gabapentin was initiated and titrated to a therapeutic dose to stabilize these symptoms.
Further contemplation led the treating clinician to investigate sleep deprivation or insomnia as potential causes of Mr. W’s daytime somnolence. Mr. W also reported occasional insomnia symptoms. To probe for the culprit of daytime sleepiness, actigraphy wrist monitoring was performed and showed no persistent insomnia or circadian rhythm disturbances.2 Medication reconciliation revealed Mr. W was taking 2 medications (fluoxetine and modafinil) that made him alert, but because he took these in the morning, it was unlikely that they were affecting his sleep. Upon review of his sleep habits, Mr. W’s naps were rare and unrefreshing during the day and he was not drinking excessive amounts of caffeinated beverages.
The diagnostic uncertainty led the treating clinician to order a polysomnography sleep study (PSG) with Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), which revealed a mean sleep latency of 4.1 minutes with no rapid eye movement (REM) periods during his PSG nor next-day napping.3 The PSG showed sleep fragmentation with a sleep efficiency of 90%. The results indicated residual sleepiness secondary to OSA.
Next, the clinician prescribed dextroamphetamine, 25 mg/d, which lowered Mr. W’s ESS score by 2 points (18 out of 24). The clinician presumed that if the stimulant worked, the diagnosis would more likely fit the criteria for residual sleepiness from OSA, rather than idiopathic hypersomnia (IH). Due to a lack of efficacy and adverse effects, the patient was tapered off this medication.
Mr. W reported that he experienced sleepiness during his service in the military at age 23. He also said he did not feel refreshed if he napped during the day.
To address the hypersomnia, he was prescribed off-label sodium oxybate. Sodium oxybate was efficacious and well tolerated; it was slowly titrated up to 9 g/d. After taking sodium oxybate for 2 months, Mr. W’s ESS score diminished to 6. Currently, he reports no functional impairment. A repeat actigraphy showed minimal sleep fragmentation and a strong normal circadian rhythm.
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