Finasteride Use Is Associated with Higher Odds of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Results from the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Events Reporting System

The study found that finasteride use was significantly associated with higher odds of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), with a reporting odds ratio (ROR) of 5.65 (95% CI 4.83-6.62, P < 0.0001). This association remained significant when examining finasteride use for both hair loss and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) separately. Additionally, finasteride use was linked to a greater than expected reporting of insomnia (ROR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.77-2.09, P < 0.0001). The study suggested that patients experiencing post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) symptoms might benefit from further sleep evaluations to rule out OSA. However, the study acknowledged limitations such as potential selection bias and underreporting in the FAERS database.