Severe obstructive sleep apnea in a patient with spinal muscle atrophy.

Patients with spinal muscle atrophy (SMA) who survive to adulthood experience a slow, continuous loss of motor function but typically have a normal life expectancy. These patients, however, require vigilance on the part of their health-care providers to reverse treatable disorders to maintain a satisfactory quality of life. We report on a patient with obstructive sleep apnea and type 3 SMA. The treatment of his sleep-disordered breathing resulted in the resolution of symptoms that were initially attributed to his neuromuscular disease.