Association Between Sleep Disordered Breathing and Left Ventricular Function: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Sleep Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is prevalent in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and heart failure.
• Few epidemiological studies have explored this association, particularly in US Hispanic/Latino populations at high risk for SDB and heart failure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between SDB severity and LV diastolic and systolic function in a US Hispanic/Latino cohort.
• To determine if SDB contributes to subclinical cardiac dysfunction in this population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 1506 adults in the ECHO-SOL Ancillary Study (2011-2014).
• Assessed SDB severity using home sleep testing (apnea-hypopnea index).
• Quantified LV diastolic/systolic function and structure via echocardiography, analyzed using multivariable regression.

Main Results:

• A 10-unit increase in apnea-hypopnea index correlated with impaired diastolic function (lower E', higher E/E' ratio) and increased LV mass index.
• These associations remained significant after adjusting for hypertension and diabetes.
• No significant association was found between SDB severity and LV systolic function markers.

Conclusions:

• Greater SDB severity is associated with LV hypertrophy and subclinical diastolic dysfunction in US Hispanic/Latinos.
• Findings suggest SDB may exacerbate the risk and burden of heart failure in this demographic.