Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Neuromuscular Disease

Patients who have neuromuscular disorders are at high risk for development of sleep-disordered breathing. As a result of an abnormal ventilatory pump patients are unable to maintain Paco2 at or less than 45 mm Hg or normoxemia, particularly when asleep. The most common complaint is excessive daytime somnolence. Polysomnography is the gold-standard test for evaluation of sleep-disordered breathing. Noninvasive ventilation has improved the quality of life and may have extended survival of many patients who have neuromuscular disease.