Multiple system atrophy with progressive nocturnal hypoxemia: case report with polysomnography and continuous positive airway pressure treatment.

摘要

Most patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) die within 6-9 years after the onset of symptoms 1, 2. Although the cause of death in MSA is commonly related to the development of bulbar palsy that predisposes a patient to aspiration pneumonia, it has also been demonstrated that sudden death during sleep is common 3. A recent study revealed a significantly shorter survival for MSA patients with nocturnal stridor, which is commonly explained as the result of vocal cord abductor paralysis (VCAP), compared with those without stridor.