Background. MSA (Multiple System Atrophy) may be associated either with Parkinsonism or with cerebellar ataxia (MSA-c
subtype). It is considered a rare disease, butmany patients are misdiagnosed as suffering from idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. In this
paper, we report a case of a patient admitted with respiratory failure and vocal cords paralysis due toMSA-c. Case Report. A 79-yearold
Caucasian woman was admitted in March 2010 with dyspnea, asthenia, stridor, and respiratory failure needing noninvasive
ventilation. She had orthostatic blood pressure decline, constipation, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and snoring. The neurologic
examination revealed cerebellar ataxia. A laryngoscopy revealed vocal cord paralysis in midline position and tracheostomy was
performed. The Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging revealed atrophy of middle cerebellar peduncles and pons with the “hot cross
bun sign.” Conclusion. Although Multiple-system atrophy is a rare disease, unexplained respiratory failure, bilateral vocal cord
paralysis, or stridor should lead to consider MSA as diagnosis.