Narkolepsi - ovanlig sjukdom som fått ökad uppmärksamhet. Pandemrixvaccination ledde till fler insjuknanden bland barn och ungdomar
Sammanfattning
Narcolepsy with cataplexy is characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy and dyssomnia. The prevalence is 20-60/100 000. The disease is caused by a
loss of hypocretin-containing cells in the hypothalamus. An autoimmune process influenced by both genetic and environmental factors has been hypothesised to cause this
hypothalamic destruction. After the Pandemrix vaccination an increasing number of children and adolescents and also young adults have developed narcolepsy. The treatment
is symptomatic and often consists of a combination of medications against the characteristic symptoms, excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy and dyssomnia. Life style
support from a professional team is of therapeutic importance. The Swedish Narcolepsy Registry was initiated by the Swedish Medical Products Agency and facilitates
monitoring of outcome and side-effects, especially of the drugs with limited documentation.