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. 2015 Mar 1;4(1):42-55.
doi: 10.1007/s13665-015-0108-6.

Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome

Affiliations

Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome

Safal Shetty et al. Curr Pulmonol Rep. .

Abstract

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome is a respiratory consequence of morbid obesity that is characterized by alveolar hypoventilation during sleep and wakefulness. The disorder involves a complex interaction between impaired respiratory mechanics, ventilatory drive and sleep-disordered breathing. Early diagnosis and treatment is important, because delay in treatment is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Available treatment options include non-invasive positive airway pressure (PAP) therapies and weight loss. There is limited long-term data regarding the effectiveness of such therapies. This review outlines the current concepts of clinical presentation, diagnostic and management strategies to help identify and treat patients with obesity-hypoventilation syndromes.

Keywords: Noninvasive ventilation; Obesity; Obesity hypoventilation syndrome; Obstructive sleep apnea.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Statement

Dr. Parthasarathy reports grants from NIH/NHLBI, Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute, US Department of Defense, grants from NIH (National Cancer Institute) NCI, US Department of Army, Johrei Institute, personal fees from American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Younes Sleep Technologies, Ltd., Niveus Medical Inc., and Philips-Respironics, Inc., outside the submitted work. Dr. Parthasarathy also reports personal fees from American College of Chest Physicians, non-financial support from National Center for Sleep Disorders Research of the NIH (NHLBI), USMLEWorld Inc., UpToDate Inc., and Philips-Respironics, Inc., outside the submitted work. Dr. Parthasarathy also states has a patent UA 14-018 U.S.S.N. 61/884,654; PTAS 502570970 pending.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Kaplan–Meier survival curves (log rank) from respiratory and cardiovascular causes of death in the total group of patients. Panels are referring to daytime PaO2 (panel a; P = 0.004), and daytime pH (panel b; P = 0.0034) with supplemental oxygen as described above and leucocytes (panel c; P = 0.0184). The cut-off values used are indicated within the plots. Reproduced with permission from reference [94].

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