Solriamfetol Cuts Early-Morning Worker Fatigue in 78-Patient Trial as Alertness Gap Reaches 9.4 Minutes
Updated
Updated · Earth.com · May 16
Solriamfetol Cuts Early-Morning Worker Fatigue in 78-Patient Trial as Alertness Gap Reaches 9.4 Minutes
2 articles · Updated · Earth.com · May 16
A randomized 78-patient trial found solriamfetol helped workers starting shifts between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. stay awake through an eight-hour workday, marking the first drug study focused on this overlooked group.
After 4 weeks, workers taking 150 mg on workdays stayed awake 12.5 minutes longer on a standard alertness test, versus a 3.1-minute gain with placebo—a 9.4-minute difference researchers called clinically meaningful.
Participants on solriamfetol also rated themselves 1.2 points less sleepy, and doctors and patients were more than three times as likely to judge them much improved.
Adverse events were modest: just over half of solriamfetol users reported any side effect, compared with 63% on placebo, with headache and nausea most common in both groups.
The drug is already approved for narcolepsy and obstructive sleep apnea; researchers say follow-up trials in overnight workers could support the first formal approval for shift work disorder.
Is a pill adding 9 minutes of alertness the real answer to the massive health risks faced by millions of early-morning workers?
This new drug works, but insurance policies effective now won't cover it for shift work. What happens to patients seeking relief?
Solriamfetol’s 9.4-Minute Wakefulness Boost Offers Hope for Early-Morning Shift Workers: Clinical Trial Insights and Future Directions
Overview
A recent clinical trial published in NEJM Evidence marks a major advance in treating excessive sleepiness among early-morning shift workers, a group rarely studied before. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on Solriamfetol provides important new insights for managing the unique challenges faced by people with demanding schedules. The research, funded by leading organizations, highlights the significance of addressing sleep issues in this neglected workforce. The trial’s successful completion and publication open new possibilities for improving health and safety for early-morning shift workers, while also emphasizing the need for further long-term studies.