Abstract
Background: Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) still remains an under-recognized and underappreciated cause of AHRF, which can result in misdiagnosis with delayed or inappropriate treatment.
Objectives: to study the clinical pattern, the non-invasive ventilatory support, and the short- and long-term outcomes of patients with OHS admitted in ward with AHRF.
Methods: Retrospective cohort study including all adults with OHS aged ≥ 18-year-old, admitted in a 90-bed-ward, for AHRF.
Results: 44 patients were included and (34.1%) were diagnosed with malignant OHS. Coexisting OSAHS was found in 81,8%. The mean admission BMI was 41.1±6.8 Kg/m2. Patients with malignant OHS had a significantly higher rate of heart failure (p<0.001), CRI (p=0.04), and dyslipidemia (p=0.04). 77.3 % were misdiagnosed as asthma exacerbation (n=4, 4.9.1%), and/or heart failure (n=29, 65.9%). BIPAP was very highly effective to treat AHRF, with only 2.27% of patients failing the modality. Median overall duration of ventilation was 9 hours per day, and was significantly longer in patients with malignant OHS (p=0.01). The probability of survival was 90% at 12 months, while the probability of readmission for a new episode of AHRF was 56% at 6 months. No factor was independently associated with a higher risk for readmission.
Conclusion: OHS is a life-threatening event which can be successfully and safely treated with BIPAP, with a low long-term mortality even in patients with malignant OHS.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA1778.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021
