Overview
- Mass General Brigham researchers reported in NEJM Evidence that solriamfetol (Sunosi) reduced excessive sleepiness in workers who start between roughly 3 a.m. and 7 a.m.
- The four-week, randomized, placebo-controlled study enrolled 78 adults with shift work disorder and assessed objective wakefulness during simulated work periods.
- Participants on solriamfetol stayed awake longer and, along with clinicians, reported better functioning, work productivity, and daily activities than those on placebo.
- Solriamfetol is already approved for excessive sleepiness in obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy and was selected because short-term use did not appear to reduce subsequent sleep.
- Investigators note the trial’s short duration and otherwise healthy cohort as limitations and are recruiting a follow-up study in overnight workers to support a potential indication.