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Treatment with modafinil resulted in significant improvement in two measures of EDS: the Multiple Sleep Latency Test and the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test. Additionally, patient self-assessment of sleepiness was significantly improved, a s measured by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and level of illness was significantly reduced on the independent clinician assessment, the Clinical Global Impression of Change. Nighttime sleep, monitored by nocturnal polysomnography, was not adversely effec ted with modafinil treatment compared with placebo treatment. The most frequent adverse experience was headache, which was not significantly greater for modafinil than placebo. During treatment discontinuation, individuals who had been receiving modafin il experienced a return of their EDS to baseline levels. During treatment discontinuation, patients did not experience symptoms associated with amphetamine withdrawal syndrome. For up to 9 weeks of daily use there was no evidence for the development of dependence at the dose levels studied. The data indicate that modafinil has an excellent safety profile and is very well tolerated. Modafinil is an effective treatment for excessive daytime sleepiness in narcolepsy and shows continued efficacy with up t o 9 weeks of daily use. |
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