A recent study conducted by a group of researchers at the National Defense Medical Center in Taiwan, has revealed the association between asthma and narcolepsy (a chronic sleep disorder) and determined the effects of therapeutic corticosteroid or bronchodilator use.

Overall, 2008 subjects were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). The use of inhaled corticosteroids was associated with a lower risk of narcolepsy comorbidity in patients with asthma when compared to those without treatment.

Early rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and fragmented sleep in narcolepsy can cause irregular respiratory responses and result in breathing disorders, such as asthma. Asthma and narcolepsy are considered to share common immunopathological mechanisms.

According to the researchers, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of narcolepsy following the diagnosis of asthma. Also, further studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanisms of these two diseases.