Sleep

SLEEP 2024: Can low-dose aspirin mitigate inflammation arising from sleep deficiency?

June 12, 2024

In this study, researchers found that preemptive administration of low-dose aspirin reduced pro-inflammatory responses to experimental sleep restriction in humans. These findings may open new therapeutic approaches to prevent or control inflammation and its consequences in those experiencing periods of sleep deficiency. Results were presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting.

• 46 healthy adults (59% males) participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial with three protocols each consisting of a 14-day at-home phase followed by an 11-day in-hospital stay (sleep restriction/aspirin, sleep restriction/placebo, control sleep/placebo). In the sleep restriction/aspirin condition, participants took low-dose aspirin (81 mg/day) during the at-home phase and in-hospital stay. Each in-hospital stay started with two nights of 8h-sleep opportunity. Then, under the sleep restriction conditions, participants were exposed to five nights of 4h-sleep opportunity, followed by three nights of recovery sleep (8h/night).
• Sleep and immunologic/hematologic measures were assessed at baseline, after the fifth night of sleep restriction/control sleep, and after the second night of recovery sleep.
• Administration of low-dose aspirin reduced IL-6 expression and COX-1/COX-2 double positive cells in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated monocytes as well as C-reactive protein serum levels in the sleep restriction condition compared to placebo.

Source:

Engert, L., et al. (2024, May). Sleep. Using low-dose acetylsalicylic acid to target inflammation in response to experimental sleep restriction in humans. https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/47/Supplement_1/A75/7654288

(2024, June 3). Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC. Low-dose aspirin reduces inflammation caused by sleep loss. [News release]. https://www.sleepmeeting.org/low-dose-aspirin-reduces-inflammation-caused-by-sleep-loss/