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Obstructive Sleep-Disordered Breathing Is More Common than Central in Mild Familial Dysautonomia
Max J Hilz1,2, Sebastian Moeller1, Susanne Buechner3
1Department of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Summary
Familial dysautonomia patients exhibit higher rates of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), particularly obstructive apneas, than controls. Polysomnography is crucial for identifying SDB in these individuals to prevent sudden death.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Genetics
Background:
- Familial dysautonomia (FD) is linked to an increased risk of sleep-related sudden death.
- The specific type and prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in FD patients remain unclear.
- Understanding SDB in FD is critical for therapeutic interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sleep structure and SDB in FD patients without a prior SDB diagnosis.
- To compare SDB prevalence and characteristics between FD patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Polysomnography was conducted on 11 FD patients and 13 controls.
- Sleep stages, obstructive apneas, central apneas, and hypopneas were assessed.
- Obstructive (oAI), central (cAI), and hypopnea (HI) indices were calculated, along with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI4%).
Main Results:
- Sleep architecture was similar between FD patients and controls.
- FD patients showed significantly higher AHI4% and HI compared to controls.
- In FD patients, hypopneas were more frequent than obstructive apneas, which were more frequent than central apneas.
Conclusions:
- Obstructive sleep apneas are more prevalent than central apneas in FD patients.
- FD-specific pathophysiology may underlie these SDB findings.
- Polysomnography is recommended for early detection and management of SDB in FD patients.
Keywords:
familial dysautonomiahereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type IIIobstructive sleep apneasleep-disordered breathingMore Related Videos
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