Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 5, 2026

Murine Oropharyngeal Aspiration Model of Ventilator-associated and Hospital-acquired Bacterial Pneumonia
Published on: June 28, 2018
Familial adult onset primary alveolar hypoventilation syndrome
Y Funada1, Y Nishimura, K Kamemura
1First Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University School of Medicine.
Abstract:
A 41-year-old man fell into type II respiratory failure after catching a cold, and became dependent on a respirator. Chest radiography showed no abnormalities and the hyperventilation test showed improved arterial blood gas findings. His sleep study showed marked nocturnal desaturation due to hypopnea and apnea with a decrease of thoracic and abdominal movement during sleep. Therefore, we diagnosed him as primary alveolar hypoventilation syndrome (PAH). Seven years previously, his 2-year elder sister had suffered from similar respiratory failure during her second pregnancy and had been diagnosed as PAH. While myopathy was suspected in both cases, attenuation of muscle strength was slight and it appeared not to be the main cause of alveolar hypoventilation. Since medication was not effective in each case, they underwent non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). While sustained mild hypercapnia remained during the daytime, it improved their respiratory failure. To our knowledge, this is the first study of familial adult onset PAH.
Related Concept Videos
Hyperpnea and Hyperventilation
Acute Respiratory Failure-II
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Acute Respiratory Failure-III
Alterations in Respiration II
In Biot's breathing, the respiratory rate and depth are irregular, alternating between periods of deep gasping and apnea. Common causes include...
Acute Respiratory Failure-I
Definition: It is defined by specific criteria based on blood gas measurements. Hypoxemia happens when the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) falls below 60 mmHg. At the same time,...
COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...