Respiratory failure in infants due to spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1

Background Spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1) is a rare autosomal recessive neuromuscular disease of unknown prevalence characterized by degeneration of anterior horn α-motoneurons and manifesting in the first 6 months of life as life-threatening irreversible diaphragmatic paralysis associated with progressive symmetrical muscular weakness (distal lower limbs mainly involved), muscle atrophy, and peripheral sensory neuropathy.