The clinical syndrome described in the literature as "Pickwickian syndrome" is characterized by a combination of sleep-disordered breathing, obesity, and daytime hypercapnia; the condition is also known as obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS). This syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion after every other possible etiology is ruled out. Patients can present both with an exacerbation of or a chronic state of progressive dyspnea. In this report, we describe the case of a 62-year-old morbidly obese female with a BMI of 42 Kg/m 2 , who presented with progressively worsening breathlessness. An arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis revealed severe hypoxia with hypercarbia. A sleep study [polysomnography (PSG)] of the patient was performed, which revealed an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 58.2, and the patient was diagnosed as having OHS after all other possible cardiorespiratory etiologies were ruled out. The patient was promptly managed with non-invasive ventilatory (NIV) support along with supportive management and was prescribed overnight NIV and subsequently discharged in stable condition.
Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is frequently underdiagnosed and under-evaluated in chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) patients. As PH is linked to a high rate of mortality from diseaserelated complications like cor pulmonale, it is critical to have a unified approach to diagnosing and treating it with the aim of improving the patient's quality of life and prognosis in terms of therapeutic considerations. Early identification of this comorbidity in patients with COPD can lead to early initiation of treatment and better prognostic implications. This study was undertaken with the aim of estimating the prevalence of PH in COPD as well as assessing any statistically significant associations between the severity of PH and the severity of COPD.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.