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Sleep disordered breathing in children with achondroplasia

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Abstract

Background

Children with achondroplasia often have breathing problems, especially during sleep. The most important treatments are adenotonsillectomy (for treating upper obstruction) and/or neurosurgery (for resolving cervicomedullar junction stenosis).

Data sources

We reviewed the scientific literature on polysomnographic investigations which assessed the severity of respiratory disorders during sleep.

Results

Recent findings have highlighted the importance of clinical investigations in patients with achondroplasia, differentiating between those that look for neurological patterns and those that look for respiratory problems during sleep. In particular, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and somatosensory evoked potentials are the main tools to evaluate necessary neurosurgery and over myelopathy, respectively.

Conclusions

The use of polysomnography enables clinicians to identify children with upper airway obstruction and to quantify disease severity; it is not suitable for MRI and/or neurosurgery considerations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgical Sciences, Dentistry, Gynecology and Pediatrics, Pediatric Division, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Marco Zaffanello, Gaetano Cantalupo, Giorgio Piacentini, Emma Gasperi, Paolo Cavarzere, Diego Alberto Ramaroli & Franco Antoniazzi

  2. Department of Pediatrics, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy

    Luana Nosetti

  3. NDMC Medical College and Hindurao Hospital, New Delhi, India

    Aliza Mittal

  4. Department of Surgical Sciences, Dentistry, Gynecology and Pediatrics Pediatric Division, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro, 10, 37134, Verona, Italy

    Marco Zaffanello

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  1. Marco Zaffanello
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  2. Gaetano Cantalupo
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  3. Giorgio Piacentini
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  4. Emma Gasperi
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  9. Franco Antoniazzi
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Correspondence to Marco Zaffanello.

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Zaffanello, M., Cantalupo, G., Piacentini, G. et al. Sleep disordered breathing in children with achondroplasia. World J Pediatr 13, 8–14 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-016-0051-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-016-0051-9

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