The Prevalence of Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children With Neuromuscular Diseases

Introduction Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is common in children with neuromuscular disease (NMD). The occurrence and type of SDB depend on the specific NMD and the severity of neuromuscular weakness. SDB can lead to serious health problems and increase the risk in these patients. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of SDB in patients with NMD. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed of patients with a confirmed diagnosis of NMD who underwent overnight diagnostic polysomnography (PSG) at Sidra Medicine in Doha, Qatar. Clinical and PSG data were collected and summarized. Results We identified 53 patients with NMD (28 males, 52.8%) who underwent overnight PSG, with a mean age of 8.49 years (range: 0.25-18.7 years). The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was 45.28% (24 of 53), with severity levels distributed as follows: mild (58%), moderate (33.3%), and severe (8.3%). The mean obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (OAHI) was 2.4 events per hour. Conclusions This study demonstrates a high prevalence of SDB among our cohort of patients with NMD. The predominant phenotype identified was OSA.