Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) can significantly impact patients’ quality of life and sleep quality. The most common type of CRSwNP is characterized by type 2 inflammation, which leads to increased production of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13. A study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology found that after a month of treatment with dupilumab, patients with CRSwNP experienced improved sleep quality.
Dupilumab is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits both IL-4 and IL-13 signaling by targeting IL-4 receptor-α. It was recently approved for treating CRSwNP. The study aimed to investigate the effect of dupilumab on the sleep quality of patients with CRSwNP in a real-life setting. Ferri et al. evaluated patients at baseline and after 1 and 3 months of dupilumab treatment using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Sinonasal Outcome Test 22 (SNOT-22) sleep domain.
The study included a total of 29 consecutive patients and their baseline sleep quality assessments were as follows: ESS of 7.9 (± 4.5); ISI of 13.1 (± 6.2); PSQI of 9.2 (± 3.7); and SNOT-22 sleep domain of 12.1 (± 4.2). The study found that excessive daily sleepiness was present in 24.1% of patients, while insomnia and globally impaired sleep quality were present in 79.3% and 93.1% of patients, respectively. The researchers treated the patients with dupilumab and observed a significant improvement in ESS, ISI, PSQI, and SNOT-22 sleep domain. The treatment also led to a reduction in the proportion of patients with insomnia and globally impaired sleep quality.
The study underscores the importance of carefully assessing sleep disturbances as an additional outcome in individuals with CRSwNP. Moreover, the findings reveal that treatment with dupilumab led to a swift and notable improvement in all sleep quality parameters after just one month of intervention. These results advocate for a comprehensive approach that considers sleep quality as a crucial aspect of the overall well-being of CRSwNP patients, further emphasizing the positive impact of dupilumab therapy on their sleep-related outcomes.
Reference
Ferri S, Montagna C, Casini M, Malvezzi L, Pirola F, Russo E, et al. Sleep quality burden in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and its modulation by dupilumab. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology [Internet]. 2023 Aug 28 [cited 2023 Dec 6].