Overview
This pilot study will establish the feasibility of a larger trial to investigate whether reboxetine, a medication used to treat depression, can reduce the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) including increased blood oxygenation in post-surgical OSA patients where positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy is either frequently poorly tolerated or not an option immediately post surgery. In this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, participants will use at-home sleep monitoring equipment before and after surgery plus measures of oxygenation. They will be prescribed either reboxetine or a placebo for seven days after surgery and complete questionnaires at the beginning and end of the study.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age >18 years
- Undergoing elective upper airway surgery
- History of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Clinically significant cardiac disease (e.g., arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, or cardiac failure)
- History of clinically significant urinary retention, bladder outlet obstruction, or benign prostatic hyperplasia
- Poorly controlled hypertension
- Epilepsy
- History of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-V or International Classification of Disease 10th edition criteria
- History of attempted suicide or suicidal ideation within 1 year prior to screening, or current suicidal ideation
- Narrow angle glaucoma