Comorbidities and Subgroups of Patients Surviving Severe Acute Hypercapnic Respiratory Failure in the Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Severe hypercapnic respiratory failure requiring ICU admission resulted primarily from COPD or obesity. Major comorbidities are highly prevalent in both cases and most often ignored. Surviving acute hypercapnic respiratory failure should be an opportunity to systematically evaluate lung, heart, and sleep functions to improve poor outcomes. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 02111876).