Department of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Pathology, Military Hospital 175, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Department of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Pathology, Military Hospital 175 VN, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Am J Case Rep. 2024 May 9;25:e943346. doi: 10.12659/AJCR.943346.
BACKGROUND Numerous countries, Vietnam included, have persistently high annual rates of traffic accidents. Despite concerted government efforts to reduce the annual traffic accident rate, the toll of fatalities and consequential injuries from these accidents rises each year. Various factors contribute to these incidents, notably including alcohol consumption while driving, inadequate awareness of traffic regulations, and substandard traffic infrastructure. However, an under-recognized risk in developing nations such as Vietnam is the prevalence of sleep disorders. Conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and obesity hypoventilation syndrome, while prevalent, remain inadequately assessed and treated. These disorders represent significant yet largely unaddressed contributors to the heightened risk of traffic accidents. CASE REPORT We describe the case of a 55-year-old Vietnamese man hospitalized due to long-standing respiratory complications and profound daytime sleepiness. Over the past 2 years, the patient gained 10 kg. Consequently, he frequently experienced drowsiness, leading to 4 traffic accidents. Despite previous hospitalizations, this sleep disorder had gone undiagnosed and untreated. Diagnostic assessments confirmed concurrent obstructive sleep apnea and obesity hypoventilation syndrome through polysomnography and blood gas analyses. Treatment involving non-invasive positive airway pressure therapy notably alleviated symptoms and substantially improved his quality of life within a concise 3-month period. CONCLUSIONS Obstructive sleep apnea and obesity hypoventilation syndrome are contributory factors to excessive daytime somnolence, significantly increasing vulnerability to traffic accidents. Regrettably, this critical intersection remains inadequately addressed. Addressing these concerns comprehensively through dedicated research initiatives should be imperative before considering the universal issuance of driver's licenses to all road users in Vietnam.
包括越南在内的许多国家每年都有持续很高的交通事故率。尽管政府做出了一致努力来降低每年的交通事故率，但这些事故造成的死亡人数和随之而来的伤害却逐年上升。造成这些事故的原因有很多，特别是包括酒后驾车、对交通规则缺乏认识以及交通基础设施不完善等。然而，在越南等发展中国家，一个被低估的风险是睡眠障碍的普遍存在。阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停综合征和肥胖低通气综合征等疾病虽然很普遍，但仍未得到充分评估和治疗。这些疾病是导致交通事故风险增加的一个重要但尚未得到充分解决的因素。
我们描述了一位 55 岁的越南男性患者因长期呼吸并发症和严重的日间嗜睡而住院的情况。在过去的 2 年里，该患者体重增加了 10 公斤。因此，他经常感到困倦，导致了 4 起交通事故。尽管之前曾住院治疗，但这种睡眠障碍一直未被诊断和治疗。通过多导睡眠图和血气分析等诊断评估，确诊为同时患有阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停和肥胖低通气综合征。通过使用无创性正压通气治疗，患者的症状得到了显著缓解，生活质量在短短 3 个月内得到了显著改善。
阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停和肥胖低通气综合征是日间嗜睡的一个重要原因，显著增加了发生交通事故的脆弱性。遗憾的是，这一关键问题仍未得到充分关注。在考虑向越南所有道路使用者普遍发放驾照之前，通过专门的研究倡议全面解决这些问题至关重要。
