The relationship between orexin levels and blood pressure changes in patients with narcolepsy

Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is caused by a deficiency or absence of the neurotransmitter orexin. NT1 is also associated with a reduced nocturnal "dipping" of blood pressure (BP). The study objective was to analyze whether nocturnal BP values differed in patients depleted of orexin, versus those in whom production was preserved.

We performed a retrospective analysis of the polysomnographic recordings, orexin levels, and BP values of patients with NT1. Data was collected from a total of 21 patients, divided into two groups as follows: those with a complete depletion of orexin (n = 11) (Group1), and those with a remaining, limited presence of orexin (n = 10) (Group 2).

The groups did not differ in terms of the clinical features of NT1 or sleep characteristics, with an exception of increased number of cataplexy episodes and increased percentage of sleep stage 2 in the Group 1. Daytime and nocturnal BP did not differ between the groups. Most patients, regardless of group, had a non-dipping blood pressure pattern, and no difference in dipping prevalence was observed between groups. The amplitude of the daytime to nighttime change in BP did not differ between the groups.

Non-dipping BP patterns are frequent among patients with narcolepsy type 1, but we saw no evidence that they depended on whether orexin levels were above or below the assay detection threshold. Therefore, our results do not support the hypothesis that in patients with narcolepsy type 1 residual orexin levels play a role in the control of nocturnal BP dipping.