Obstructive sleep apnea in Georgia family: Is it hereditary?

A new study of obstructive sleep apnea in three adult male members of a single Georgia family adds to the growing evidence that the syndrome is controlled by a hereditary factor. The study, undertaken at the Gainesville (Fla) Veterans Administration Hospital, revealed episodic apnea, hypoventilation, and oxygen desaturation in one patient displaying classic sleep apnea as well as in his 9-year-old son and 32-year-old brother. Another brother of the index patient could not be studied, since he could not fall asleep during attempted polysomnography. Three daughters of the index patient were unavailable for evaluation. "Although we cannot prove a hereditary relationship in all instances of sleep apnea," said Robert A. Rostand, MD, formerly of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at the Gainesville VA Hospital, "the case of this one family, where obesity, excessive snoring as well as altered neural control mechanisms have all been identified, strongly suggests a hereditary factor