Sleep disordered breathing in heart failure patients with reduced versus preserved ejection fraction

This study aimed to investigate and compare prevalence of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in Japanese patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) versus those with HF with preserved EF (HFpEF).

This study consecutively included 101 Japanese patients (77 males) with de novo CHF. Echocardiography was performed twice, on admission and at discharge. All patients underwent portable overnight polygraphy within one week before discharge. The patients were stratified into two groups based on LVEF on admission, HFrEF (R group; LVEF<50%, n=82) or HFpEF (P group; LVEF≧50%, n=19); the prevalence of SDB and sleep study data were assessed.

When patients with the apnea hypopnea index ≥15 were defined as having SDB, 50% of the study patients had SDB (OSA, 10%; CSA, 39%; MSA, 1%). No significant differences in the prevalence of SDB or sleep data as well as RVSP, E/e' or plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were found between the two groups.

SDB was identified in 50% of de novo Japanese HF patients. When E/e', RVSP and plasma BNP did not significantly differ between the two groups, the prevalence of SDB was similar regardless of LVEF.