[Central alveolar hypoventilation syndrome and cerebral venous thrombosis: fortuitous association?]

Central hypoventilation syndrome is defined as the failure of automatic control of breathing. Secondary central hypoventilation syndrome should distinguish from congenital central hypoventilation syndrome by brainstem abnormalities, place of respiratory control.

We report two clinical cases characterized by late onset central hypoventilation syndrome (three years--six months, and five years old): in the first case the diagnosis was made after general anesthesia and the second one presented with acute nocturnal comatose state. Neuroradiologic investigations showed bilateral cerebral sinus veinous thrombosis without any brainstem lesions. Moreover these children had severe behavior disorders: psychomotor instability, alterations of social relations, language dysfunction, and neurocognitive deficit. This symptomatology seems independent from central hypoventilation syndrome and cerebral venous thrombosis.

Late onset central hypoventilation syndrome may be associated with cerebral venous thrombosis. Ischemia of central chemoreceptors or integration of their informations could be one of mechanism.