Type 1 narcolepsy is not present in 29 HPV-vaccinated individuals with subjective sleep complaints.

INTRODUCTION: Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine uptake in girls and women is dropping markedly in some countries. Concern about the presumed side effects is the commonest reason why. Reports about side effects include specific sleep complaints such as excessive daytime sleepiness, altered dream activity and periods of muscle weakness. These symptoms are commonly seen in individuals with narcolepsy type 1. We aimed to evaluate whether HPV vaccination was associated with the development of hypocretin-deficient narcolepsy.

METHODS: We report the evaluation for sleep disorders, including narcolepsy, in 29 HPV-vaccinated girls and women who were submitted for evaluation of narcolepsy. All were evaluated by polysomnography and the Multiple Sleep Latency Test, and 18 individuals were also evaluated by measures of cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin-1 concentration.

RESULTS: None of the 29 girls and women showed signs of narcolepsy type 1.

CONCLUSION: Our results do not suggest that an association exists between HPV vaccination and the development of narcolepsy type 1.

FUNDING: none.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant.