Overlap syndrome in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patient

Overlap syndrome (OVS) is defined by the co-existence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a same patient. This condition is associated with increased mortality and a higher risk of respiratory exacerbation, compared to patients with COPD or OSA alone. Nocturnal positive PAP treatment is effective to mitigate the additional risk related to OSA. Identification of OVS is a major challenge for clinicians because of the many phenotypes of OVS patients, with atypical OSA presentation, whose sleep quality is already impacted by COPD itself. Dedicated prospective studies are mandatory to improve our understanding of OVS patients and to optimize their medical care.