A case of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome improved by the administration of fluvoxamine

This preliminary study intended to investigate the effects of a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) on obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The patient was diagnosed polysomnographically as having a moderate OSAS. He was administered 50 mg of fluvoxamine (FLV) for 1 week. After the drug administration, the changes in breathing and sleep parameters, and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores were examined. There was a pronounced improvement in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), mean and the lowest arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), per cent of desaturation under 90%, and in the ESS scores. Therefore, we expected that SSRI may become a choice of treatment for patients with OSAS.