Effect of ventilation therapy on mortality rate among obesity hypoventilation syndrome and obstructive sleep apnoea patients

IntroductionThe prevalence of obesity is continually increasing worldwide, which increases the incidence of obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and its consequent mortality.MethodsWe reviewed the therapy mode, comorbidity and mortality of all OHS patients treated at our hospital between 2005 and 2016. The control group consisted of randomly selected patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) treated during the same period.ResultsWe studied 206 OHS patients and 236 OSA patients. The OHS patients were older (56.3 versus 52.3 years, p<0.001) and heavier (body mass index 46.1 versus 32.2 kg·m−2, p<0.001), and the percentage of women was higher (41.2% versus 24.2%, p<0.001), respectively. The OHS patients had more hypertension (83% versus 61%, p<0.001) and diabetes (62% versus 31%, p<0.001) than the OSA patients, but no higher stroke (4% versus 8%, p=0.058) or ischaemic heart disease (14% versus 15%, p=0.437) incidence. The 5- and 10-year, unadjusted survival rates were lower among the OHS patients than among the OSA patients (83% versus 96% and 74% versus 91%, respectively; p<0.001). Differences in mortality rates were not related to age, sex or body mass index; covariates such as Charlson Comorbidity Index and ventilation therapy predicted survival. The mortality rate decreased significantly (p<0.001) both in OHS and OSA patients even after adjusting for covariates.ConclusionsThe mortality rate in OHS was significantly higher than that in OSA patients even after adjusting for covariates. Ventilation therapy by continuous positive airway pressure or noninvasive ventilation have reduced mortality significantly in all patients.

Download Full-text

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome

European Respiratory Review ◽

10.1183/16000617.0097-2018 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (151) ◽

pp. 180097 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Juan F. Masa ◽

Jean-Louis Pépin ◽

Jean-Christian Borel ◽

Babak Mokhlesi ◽

Patrick B. Murphy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Failure ◽

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea ◽

Sleep Disordered Breathing ◽

Sleep Apnoea ◽

Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome ◽

Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure ◽

Obstructive Sleep ◽

Hypoventilation Syndrome ◽

Obesity Hypoventilation ◽

Disordered Breathing

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is defined as a combination of obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg·m−2), daytime hypercapnia (arterial carbon dioxide tension ≥45 mmHg) and sleep disordered breathing, after ruling out other disorders that may cause alveolar hypoventilation. OHS prevalence has been estimated to be ∼0.4% of the adult population. OHS is typically diagnosed during an episode of acute-on-chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure or when symptoms lead to pulmonary or sleep consultation in stable conditions. The diagnosis is firmly established after arterial blood gases and a sleep study. The presence of daytime hypercapnia is explained by several co-existing mechanisms such as obesity-related changes in the respiratory system, alterations in respiratory drive and breathing abnormalities during sleep. The most frequent comorbidities are metabolic and cardiovascular, mainly heart failure, coronary disease and pulmonary hypertension. Both continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) improve clinical symptoms, quality of life, gas exchange, and sleep disordered breathing. CPAP is considered the first-line treatment modality for OHS phenotype with concomitant severe obstructive sleep apnoea, whereas NIV is preferred in the minority of OHS patients with hypoventilation during sleep with no or milder forms of obstructive sleep apnoea (approximately <30% of OHS patients). Acute-on-chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure is habitually treated with NIV. Appropriate management of comorbidities including medications and rehabilitation programmes are key issues for improving prognosis.

Download Full-text