RESEARCH: Impaired chemosensitivity to hypoxia is a marker of multiple system atrophy.

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Ann Neurol 2002 Sep;52(3):367-71

Impaired chemosensitivity to hypoxia is a marker of multiple system atrophy.

Tsuda T, Onodera H, Okabe S, Kikuchi Y, Itoyama Y.

Department of Neurology, National Yamagata Hospital, Yamagata, Japan.

Sudden death is common in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA). In

its early stages, the cerebellar presentation MSA-C can be indistinguishable

from idiopathic late-onset cerebellar ataxia. We studied the hypoxic

ventilatory response in MSA-C and idiopathic late-onset cerebellar ataxia

patients. Six patients with idiopathic late-onset cerebellar ataxia that

later evolved to MSA had impaired hypoxic ventilatory response when minimal

autonomic failure was still present, whereas for patients with unimpaired

hypoxic ventilatory response their diagnosis remained idiopathic late-onset

cerebellar ataxia. The demonstration of impaired hypoxic ventilatory

response appears to be a good marker enabling earlier diagnosis of MSA in

patients presenting with idiopathic late-onset cerebellar ataxia.

PMID: 12205653 [PubMed - in process]