Clinical effect of venlafaxine combined with methylphenidate hydrochloride on narcolepsy

This study aims to explore the clinical effect of venlafaxine sustained-release capsules combined with methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets on narcolepsy. Thirty-eight cases of narcoleptic patients were randomly divided into venlafaxine combined with methylphenidate hydrochloride treatment group (observation group, N = 19) and methylphenidate hydrochloride and clomipramine treatment group (control group, N = 19). After a total of 12-week treatment, clinical curative effect and adverse drug reactions were observed in 2 groups of patients. The results showed that effective rate of the treatment for excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in observation group was higher than that of the control group (15/19 vs 8/19, P = 0.044), and effective rate of the treatment for cataplexy in observation group was higher than that of the control group (13/19 vs 6/19, P = 0.048). The rate of adverse drug reactions in observation group was lower than that in the control group (χ2 = 8.889, P = 0.003). It was indicated that venlafaxine combined with methylphenidate had good curative effect on narcolepsy with EDS and cataplexy symptoms. doi：10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2013.11.010