Neurological basis of respiratory complications in achondroplasia.
Evaluation of 32 individuals with achondroplasia revealed that 28% had a history of apnea and 22% had respiratory abnormalities on polysomnography. In those patients requiring posterior fossa decompressive surgery, improvement was noted in follow-up polysomnograms. Multimodality studies suggested that brainstem compression was common in achondroplasia and could account in part for the abnormal respiratory function in this disorder, including obstructive apnea, central apnea, and hypoxemia.
Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston 77225.
F W
FW
Nelson
J T
JT
Hecht
W A
WA
Horton
I J
IJ
Butler
W D
WD
Goldie
M
M
Miner
D000130:Achondroplasia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000502:physiology