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Alcohol use in congenital central hypoventilation syndrome
Author(s) -
Chen Maida Lynn,
Turkel Susan Beckwitt,
Jacobson Julienne R.,
Keens Thomas G.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.20366
Subject(s) - congenital central hypoventilation syndrome , medicine , psychiatry , hypoventilation , anxiety , alcohol abuse , hypercarbia , hypoxia (environmental) , pediatrics , respiratory system , anesthesia , hypoxemia , chemistry , organic chemistry , oxygen
Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is a rare disorder where there is failure of automatic control of breathing. With improved recognition of CCHS, more children are appropriately diagnosed and treated in infancy, allowing survival into adult years. Because most of these children are able to participate in regular school, they are exposed to common adolescent behaviors, such as abusing alcohol and drugs. Alcohol and many illicit substances are known respiratory depressants. We report on 3 cases of adolescents/young adults with CCHS who had severe adverse events related to alcohol, including coma and death. This series illustrates the dangers of alcohol abuse in CCHS. We speculate that adolescents with CCHS may be less able to perceive the risks of substance abuse and impulsive behavior, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Patients with CCHS appear to lack anxiety and the awareness that their inability to perceive physiologically dangerous levels of hypercarbia and hypoxia deprives them of important protective mechanisms. Pediatr Pulmonol. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.