[Sleep disordered breathing in group A xeroderma pigmentosum]

We studied sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in 12 patients with group A xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) by means of respiratory inductive plethysmography (Respisomnograph:Nims) during polysomnographical examination. The subjects were 6 male and 6 female patients aged from 10 months to 25 years. Four out of the subjects had SDB:3 showed sleep apnea (apnea index ranged from 5.2 to 44.2/h) and 1 presented desaturation during sleep (desaturation time per total sleep time was 4.3%). All these patients were over 12 years. The patients below 14 years had mainly the central type of SDB, and the others aged over 16 years had both the central and obstructive types of SDB. Three of the 4 patients had daytime sleepiness or restless sleep, which seemed to be due to SDB. We discussed the pathophysiology of SDB with XP in relation with brain stem function and peripheral neuropathy. We must pay attention to SDB in patients with XP aged over 12 years.