Achondroplasia and sleep-disordered breathing

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In this issue of The Journal, Ednick et al report an interesting retrospective study that compared polysomnographic features and brainstem MRI in 12 infants with achondroplasia and 12 age-matched controls. The infants with achondroplasia had reduced arousals during sleep and increased propensity to display sleep-disordered breathing patterns in the absence of parentally reported symptoms. The patients also had a smaller foramen magnum when compared with a different set of controls, but there was no correlation between foramen magnum size and respiratory events during sleep. The authors speculate that infants with achondroplasia have an attenuated arousal response that may place them at risk for sudden unexpected death.

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