What is it about?
High daytime levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in arterial blood is termed Chronic Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure (CHRF). CHRF is associated with poor prognosis in COPD and can be treated with non invasive ventilation (NIV). Increased nighttime levels of carbon dioxide, termed sleep hypoventilation, can be an "early warning" of CHRF. We found sleep hypoventilation in 15 out of 100 stable COPD patients, six of which had normal levels of CO2 at daytime.
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Why is it important?
Few studies has explored the association between night and day levels of CO2 in COPD. If sleep hypoventilation can identify patients for NIV before daytime CO2-levels increases, this can improve survival and quality of life in these patients.
Perspectives
I hope this article can prepare the ground for larger studies to test if NIV given to COPDpatients with sleep hypoventilation can actually prevent them from developing chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure. If so, quality and length of life can be prolonged for thousands.
Nils Henrik Holmedahl
Landsforeningen for Hjerte- og Lungesyke
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Sleep hypoventilation and daytime hypercapnia in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, February 2014, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.2147/copd.s57576.
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