A rare association: Obesity hypoventilation syndrome with myasthenia gravis and systemic lupus erythematosus, case report

Background

Shrinking lung syndrome (SLS) is an uncommon complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that has also been seen in other autoimmune diseases and is linked with a high risk of acute or chronic respiratory failure. Alveolar hypoventilation in the presence of obesity-hypoventilation syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and myasthenia gravis (MG) is uncommon and poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.

Case report

We reported a 33-year-old female patient from Saudi Arabia who suffered from obesity, bronchial asthma, newly diagnosed essential hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, with recurrent acute alveolar hypoventilation, secondary to obesity hypoventilation syndrome and mixed autoimmune disease (systemic lupus erythematosus and myasthenia gravis), based on the correct constellation of clinical findings and laboratory evidence.

Conclusion

The interesting aspect of this case report: is the presentation of the overlap of obesity hypoventilation syndrome and shrinking lung syndrome due to systemic lupus erythematosus with generalized and respiratory muscle dysfunction due to myasthenia gravis with good outcomes after therapy.