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Published on: December 6, 2016

Sleep disordered breathing in children and adolescents with Chiari malformation type I

Anna Losurdo1, Serena Dittoni, Elisa Testani

  • 1Institute of Neurology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. annalosurdo@hotmail.it

Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
|April 16, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) affects 24% of children with Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I). SDB is linked to hydrocephalus and syringomyelia in these patients.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pediatrics
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I) is a structural defect in the cerebellum.
  • CM-I has been linked to sleep disordered breathing (SDB).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of SDB in pediatric CM-I patients.
  • To identify clinical factors associated with SDB in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Fifty-three pediatric patients with CM-I underwent neurological examination, MRI, and polysomnography (PSG).
  • Otorhinolaryngologic evaluation was performed for patients with evidence of upper airway obstruction.

Main Results:

  • SDB was identified in 13 (24%) of the CM-I patients.
  • SDB prevalence was higher in patients with hydrocephalus (p=0.002) and syringomyelia (p=0.001).
  • Obstructive SDB correlated with syringomyelia, while central SDB correlated with hydrocephalus.

Conclusions:

  • The prevalence of SDB in this CM-I cohort was 24%.
  • Cerebrospinal fluid dynamic abnormalities, specifically syringomyelia and hydrocephalus, are associated with SDB in CM-I.
Abstract

Keywords:
Chiari malformationcentral sleep apneahydrocephalusobstructive sleep apneapolysomnographysleep disordered breathingsyringomyelia.

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