Open AccessA case of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: unusual comorbidity
Author(s) -
Jalladeau E.,
Crestani B.,
Laissy J.P.,
Vecchierini M. F.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the clinical respiratory journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.789
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1752-699X
pISSN - 1752-6981
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-699x.2008.00071.x
Subject(s) - medicine , obstructive sleep apnea , airway , polysomnography , metabolic syndrome , comorbidity , sleep apnea , magnetic resonance imaging , apnea , radiology , surgery , obesity
Launois‐Bensaude syndrome (LBS) is a rare disease, characterized by the accumulation of fatty tissue predominantly in the neck, shoulders and thorax, whose diagnostic is clinical. Objectives: We describe a new case in a 73 year‐old man. As the patient was obese, complained of snoring and was treated for hypertension, we looked for a morbid association with an obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Methods: A polysomnography (PSG) and a cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed. Results: PSG demonstrated OSAS with an apnea‐hypopnea index of 43/h. Cervical MRI showed fatty infiltration resulting in airway narrowing at the pharyngeal but not at the tracheal level. Only, 3 cases of such a morbid association have already been published; in 2 of these patients was a tracheal compression. More over a metabolic syndrome was present. Conclusions: This observation draws attention to the need for seeking OSAS among patients affected by LBS, even in a moderate form, and emphasises the roles of the upper airway narrowing by the fat infiltration as well as the role of the metabolic syndrome in the genesis of OSAS. Please cite this paper as: Jalladeau E, Crestani B, Laissy J‐P and Vecchierini MF. A case of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: unusual comorbidity. The Clinical Respiratory Journal 2008; 2: 239–241.