Sleep apnoea and hypoventilation in patients with five major types of muscular dystrophy.

Sleep-disordered breathing is common in patients with MD but each type has its unique features. Hypoventilation was only weakly associated with sleep apnoea; thus, high clinical suspicion is needed for diagnosing hypoventilation. Identifying the window when respiratory muscle weakness begins to cause hypoventilation is important for patients with MD; it enables early intervention with non-invasive ventilation-a therapy that should both lengthen the expected life of these patients and improve its quality.Cite Now.