Disordered breathing in severe cerebral illness - Towards a conceptual framework.

Despite potentially life-threatening symptoms of disordered breathing in severe cerebral illness, there are no clear recommendations on diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for these patients. To identify types of breathing disorders observed in severely neurological comprised patients, to direct further research on classification, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment for disordered breathing in cerebral disease. Data including polygraphy, transcutaneous capnometry, blood gas analysis and radiological examinations of patients with severe cerebral illness and disordered breathing admitted to the neurological intensive care were analyzed. Patients (15) presented with acquired central hypoventilation syndrome (ACHS), central bradypnea, central tachypnea, obstructive, mixed and central apneas and hypopneas, Cheyne Stokes respiration, ataxic (Biot's) breathing, cluster breathing and respiration alternans. Severe cerebral illness may result in an ACHS and in a variety of disorders of the respiratory rhythm. Two of these, abrupt switches between breathing patterns and respiration alternans, suggest the existence of a rhythmogenic respiratory network. Polygraphy, transcutaneous capnometry, blood gas analysis and MRI are promising tools for diagnosis and research alike.