The efficacy and safety of adaptive servo-ventilation therapy for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

It is unclear whether adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is effective. The aim of this study was to investigate the details of ASV use, and to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ASV in real-world HFpEF patients. We retrospectively enrolled 36 HFpEF patients at nine cardiovascular centers who initiated ASV therapy during hospitalization or on outpatient basis and were able to continue using it at home from 2012 to 2017 and survived for at least one year thereafter. The number of hospitalizations for heart failure (HF) during the 12 months before and 12 months after introduction of ASV at home was compared. The median number of HF hospitalizations for each patient was significantly reduced from 1 [interquartile range: 1-2] in the 12 months before introduction of ASV to 0 [0-0] in the 12 months after introduction of ASV (p < 0.001). In subgroup analysis, reduction in heart failure hospitalization was significantly greater in female patients, patients with a body mass index < 25, and those with moderate or severe tricuspid valve regurgitation. In patients with HFpEF, the number of HF hospitalizations was significantly decreased after the introduction of ASV. HFpEF patients with female sex, BMI < 25, or moderate to severe tricuspid valve regurgitation are potential candidates who might benefit from ASV therapy.