The impact of sleep apnea on people taking opioid-use medications
Official title: The impact of central sleep apnea in patients receiving medications for opioid use disorder
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11391360 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether central sleep apnea, seen in people on opioid-use disorder meds, affects sleep and treatment outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $842,307 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA059465-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391360 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21+ on MOUD who may have or be at risk for central sleep apnea.
✕Less likely to help
People not on MOUD or without sleep-disordered breathing are less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
People on medications for opioid use disorder may develop central sleep apnea, which can disrupt sleep and potentially worsen anxiety and craving. The study will screen patients on MOUD for CSA using home sleep tests and confirm findings with full sleep studies. Researchers will compare sleep health, autonomic function, mood, and drug craving between those with CSA and those without, tracking outcomes over six months. The goal is to understand how sleep problems relate to relapse risk and treatment retention, guiding better care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If CSA is linked to worse outcomes, this work could lead to targeted support to improve sleep and reduce relapse risk for people on MOUD.
How similar studies have gone: Prior data suggest sleep-disordered breathing affects outcomes in other conditions; this study applies similar questions to MOUD.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Patel, Sanjay R — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Patel, Sanjay R
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Central sleep apnea in people taking medications for opioid use disorder
This project looks at whether central sleep apnea in adults on methadone or buprenorphine affects sleep, mood, cravings, and staying in treatment.
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How opioid use disorder medications affect sleep apnea
This study is looking at how medications for opioid use disorder might affect sleep apnea in patients, and it wants to see how sleep problems relate to sleep quality, emotional well-being, and cravings for drugs, so we can better understand how these issues might impact recovery.
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Systems analysis to improve opioid use disorder care after jail release (SAIA-MOUD)
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Precise epigenetic drugs for opioid addiction
A tiny, targeted drug approach is being developed to help people with opioid use disorder by rewriting the epigenetic signals in the brain to reduce cravings and relapse risk.
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Increasing Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder for Unhoused Montanans
This project helps unhoused people in Montana get life-saving medicines for opioid use disorder through clinics connected to syringe service programs, a nurse-led MOUD model, and peer support.
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Optimizing long-acting PrEP and opioid treatment for people in jails and prisons
This project tests a real-world approach to using long-acting PrEP and buprenorphine for HIV prevention and opioid treatment among incarcerated individuals and after release.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.