Transcutaneous CO2 Monitoring at Home for Children With Neuromuscular Disease

The Diagnostic Accuracy and Reliability of Transcutaneous Carbon Dioxide Monitoring at Home for Nocturnal Hypoventilation Screening in Children With Neuromuscular Disease

There is an unmet demand for the evaluation of nocturnal hypoventilation in children with NMD. An ambulatory screening tool that can reliably facilitate timely diagnosis and treatment in these children would be invaluable. If an ambulatory, at home, tcCO2 monitoring device is shown to be diagnostically accurate, sleep physicians would be able to triage children on existing waiting lists and optimize screening of nocturnal hypoventilation as recommended by international guidelines.

Inclusion Criteria:

• children with a confirmed diagnosis of NMD that meet criteria for evaluating SDB as per international recommendations
• lives within the greater Toronto area.

Exclusion Criteria:

• known diagnosis of nocturnal hypoventilation
• current ventilatory support
• physician diagnosis of active upper respiratory tract infection (fever, increased cough, rhinorrhea, increased nasal congestion, sore throat, headache, malaise and/or sneezing).