Daytime hypoventilation in obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

Chronic alveolar hypoventilation is a classic feature of the "pickwickian syndrome" (i.e. obesity-hypoventilation syndrome) but in fact hypercapnia is observed in a minority of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) patients. Most recent studies having included large numbers of unselected, consecutive OSAS patients agree on a prevalence of 10-20% of alveolar hypoventilation. The mechanisms of hypercapnia in OSAS are not fully understood but the determining factors of daytime respiratory insufficiency are probably the presence of a marked obesity, leading to the obesity hypoventilation syndrome and, principally, the association of OSAS with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This association (the so-called "overlap syndrome") is observed in >10% of OSAS patients. Bronchial obstruction is generally mild to moderate and may be asymptomatic. The severity of the nocturnal events (apnoeas, hypopnoeas) and a (possible) diminished chemosensitivity to hypercapnic and hypoxic stimuli do not appear to be determining factors of hypercapnia. The most important consequence of chronic alveolar hypoventilation is pulmonary hypertension which is only observed in patients with daytime arterial blood gases disturbances, and which can lead to right heart failure. When nasal continuous positive airway pressure fails to correct sleep-related hypoxaemia, supplementary O, must be given or another way of assisted ventilation (BIPAP) must be considered. In the most severe patients (diurnal PaO(2) <55 mmHg) conventional O(2) therapy (>or=16h/24h) is required in addition to nocturnal ventilation.