Obstructive sleep apnea characteristic in systolic heart failure patients

The aim of the current study was to outline the demographic, clinical and polysomnographic characteristics of sleep apnea in patients with heart failure. A retrospective, clinical study was conducted on 29 heart failure patients in our tertiary care center. Patients who reported snoring, witnessed apnea episodes and excessive daytime sleepiness underwent full-night polysomnography. Baseline features, types and frequencies of sleep disorders were noted. In addition, we have compared mild-moderate Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients to severe OSA cases in terms of demographic, clinical and polysomnographic variables. Of these 29 cases, three patients (10.3%) had mild OSA, while 6 patients (20.7%) were diagnosed with moderate OSA and severe OSA was determined in 15 (51.7%) patients. Four patients (13.8%) were diagnosed with central sleep apnea (CSA) and one patient (3.5%) had normal polysomnographic result. The mean age of the total group consisting of 11 females (37.9%) and 18 males (62.1%) with a mean age of 57.8±10.9 (range: 29.0-74.0) years. Severe OSA patients were older (p=0.02), had a lower ejection fraction (p=0.02), higher arterial oxygen desaturation index (p<0.001), prolonged mean apnea duration (p=0.02), and lower minimum arterial oxygen concentration (p=0.02). Our results indicate that OSA may occur in the vast majority of heart failure patients that suffer from sleep disorders. Close collaboration between disciplines is crucial for effective management of these cases.