Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may be a preferred alternative to noninvasive ventilation (NIV) as first-line therapy in stable ambulatory patients with obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) and concurrent severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as suggested by study results published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Despite the conclusions of this study, the investigators indicated that NIV and CPAP exhibit comparable efficacy profiles in this patient population. The study was a literature review conducted to inform an international panel of experts on the development of an OHS clinical practice guideline funded by the American Thoracic Society. Research studies published between January 1946 and March 2019 that compared NIV and CPAP in patients with OHS were included in the review.
