title: Severe obstructive sleep apnea in a patient with spinal muscle atrophy.
abstract: Patients with spinal muscle atrophy (SMA) who survive to adulthood experience a slow, continuous loss of motor function but typically have a normal life expectancy. These patients, however, require vigilance on the part of their health-care providers to reverse treatable disorders to maintain a satisfactory quality of life. We report on a patient with obstructive sleep apnea and type 3 SMA. The treatment of his sleep-disordered breathing resulted in the resolution of symptoms that were initially attributed to his neuromuscular disease.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Medical Center 111-B, PO Box 4000, Mountain Home, TN 37684-4000, USA. Ryland.Byrd@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Puruckherr
authors.forename: Jay B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.forename: Mirle R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Girish
authors.forename: Ryland P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Byrd
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Roy
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009134:Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / Q000150:complications*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology*