Outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and obstructive sleep apnea: the overlap syndrome.

Rationale: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (overlap syndrome) are more likely to develop pulmonary hypertension than patients with either condition alone.

Objectives: To assess the relation of overlap syndrome to mortality and first-time hospitalization because of COPD exacerbation and the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on these major outcomes.

Methods: We included 228 patients with overlap syndrome treated with CPAP, 213 patients with overlap syndrome not treated with CPAP, and 210 patients with COPD without OSA.

[COPD and sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome].

Overlap syndrome refers to the coexistence of COPD and obstructive sleep apneas-hypopneas in the same patient. This syndrome affects 1% of the adult population. There is no particular clinical presentation but patients with overlap syndrome show COPD with disproportionate hypercapnia, hypoxemia and dyspnea.