Aggregated occurrence of sleep apnea syndrome in a family.

We experienced a family in whom sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) was recognized in six members and habitual snoring in seven members among 26 subjects of four generations. In all members with snoring, the disorder was noticed before the age of 20. Hypercapnic response study showed normal findings, and ultrafast magnetic resonance image of the upper airway revealed that the obstruction of the upper airway occurred at the velopharyngeal portion during apneic episodes in all SAS-afflicted subjects. In this family, the similar craniofacial structural abnormalities were thought to cause the aggregated occurrences of the disorders at young ages, and obesity was regarded as a contributor for the aggravated symptoms.