A 69-year-old male developed symptoms typical of the diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1 without any previous triggering events. First, daytime sleepiness occurred, soon followed by cataplexy. Nocturnal polysomnography revealed rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder, a apnea-hypopnea index of 25.8 events/h, and no sleep-onset REM. Multiple Sleep Latency Test showed a mean sleep latency of 2.1 min and REM sleep in 3 tests. HLA DQB1*06:02 was positive and hypocretin-1 in cerebrospinal fluid unmeasurable. A treatment with 50 mg clomipramine controlled the cataplexy; excessive daytime sleepiness was sufficiently managed by repeated naps. The administration of 0.25 mg of clonazepam subjectively improved REM sleep behavior disorder. Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure improved the apnea-hypopnea index without important influence on sleepiness. Our unique case demonstrates that even elderly subjects can develop narcolepsy type 1.

Department of Neurology and Centre of Clinical Neuroscience 1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University and General University Hospital Prague Prague Czechia

Inspamed Ltd Institute of Sleep Medicine Prague Czechia

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