Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome Is Associated with Serious Postoperative Respiratory Complications

Although obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) usually is recognized, obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) remains underdiagnosed. Distinguishing between the two disorders is important: Patients with OSA are treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to stent open the upper airway, whereas patients with OHS require bilevel noninvasive positive pressure to support ventilation. Appropriate perioperative management of these distinct conditions might prevent postoperative complications.

Using a single-center database, investigators examined noncardiac surgery patients with body-mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m², OSA diagnosed by polysomnography, and hypercapnia identified by arterial blood gas measurement on two occasions. Patients were categori…