Abstract
Introduction
Sleep-disordered breathing is common in persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS), and may contribute to debilitating fatigue and other chronic MS symptoms. The majority of research to date on SDB in MS has focused on the prevalence and consequences of obstructive sleep apnea; however, PwMS may also be at increased risk for central sleep apnea (CSA), and the utility of methods to assess CSA in PwMS warrant further exploration. We present a patient with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis who was found to have severe central sleep apnea on WatchPAT testing.
Report of case(s)
A 61 year-old female with a past medical history of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis presented with complaints of fragmented sleep. MRI of the brain, cervical spine, and thoracic spine showed numerous demyelinating lesions in the brain, brainstem, cervical, and thoracic spinal cord. Upon presentation, the patient noted snoring, witnessed apneas, and daytime sleepiness. WatchPAT demonstrated severe sleep apnea, with a pAHI of 63.3, and a minimum oxygen saturation of 90%. The majority of the scored events were non-obstructive in nature (73.1% of all scored events), and occurred intermittently in a periodic fashion.
Conclusion
The differential diagnosis of fatigue in PwMS should include sleep-disordered breathing, including both obstructive and central forms of sleep apnea. Demyelinating lesions in the brainstem (which may contribute to impairment of motor and sensory networks that control airway patency and respiratory drive), and progressive forms of MS, have been linked to both OSA and CSA. The present data illustrate this relationship in a person with progressive MS, and offer support for the WatchPAT as a cost-effective means to evaluate for both OSA and CSA in PwMS, while reducing patient burden. PwMS may be at increased risk for CSA. Careful clinical consideration should be given to ordering appropriate sleep testing to differentiate central from obstructive sleep apnea in PwMS, particularly for patients with demyelinating lesions in the brainstem.
Support (if any)
1. Braley TJ, Segal BM, Chervin RD. Obstructive sleep apnea and fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis. J Clin Sleep Med. 2014 Feb 15;10(2):155–62. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.3442. PMID: 24532998; PMCID: PMC3899317.
Central Sleep Apnea
