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Sleep apnea in precapillary pulmonary hypertension
Rio Dumitrascu1, Henning Tiede, Jan Eckermann
1University of Giessen Lung Center, Germany.
Sleep Medicine
|January 24, 2013
Summary
At least 26.6% of pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients have sleep apnea. This study found higher rates of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA) in PH patients than in the general population.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Previous pilot studies suggested a link between sleep apnea and precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH).
- Limited data existed on the prevalence of sleep-related breathing disorders in larger PH patient cohorts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of sleep-related breathing disorders in a larger cohort of clinically stable PH patients.
- To investigate the characteristics of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA) within this PH population.
Main Methods:
- Prospective investigation of 169 clinically stable PH patients (NYHA classes II-III) using polygraphy.
- Patient recruitment was independent of sleep symptoms or medication (vasodilators, nasal oxygen).
Main Results:
- Sleep apnea (apnea-hypopnea-index >10/h) was diagnosed in 26.6% of patients.
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) was present in 16% and central sleep apnea (CSA) in 10.6% of patients.
- Patients with OSA were typically male with higher BMI; CSA patients were older and hypocapnic.
Conclusions:
- Mild-to-moderate sleep apnea affects at least one in four PH patients.
- The prevalence of both OSA and CSA appears higher in PH patients compared to the general population, considering their anthropometric characteristics.
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