A double-blind, randomized trial of sabeluzole--a putative glutamate antagonist--in obstructive sleep apnea.

The effect of sabeluzole (SAB), an agent with anti-excitatory amino acid activity, on sleep, breathing and daytime symptoms was investigated in 13 patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). There was marked interindividual variation in both the effect on sleep and breathing and the plasma concentration of SAB. However, individual plasma drug concentration was highly correlated (r = 0.82, p = 0.02) with a reduction of the oxygen desaturation index during sleep (ODI) after treatment with SAB. Further investigation of this and agents of this type are warranted in patients with OSA.