The "chubby puffer" syndrome. Upper airway obstruction and obesity, with intermittent somnolence and cardiorespiratory embarrassment.

Upper airway obstruction and obesity can produce cardiopulmonary distress in susceptible children. Three such children with chronic airway obstruction due to hypertrophied tonsillar and adenoidal tissue developed pronounced obesity, which in turn helped to provoke sleep alterations, cardiac signs, and abnormal arterial blood gas values. After tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy the symptoms were relieved.