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. 2017 Oct-Dec;12(4):272-277.
doi: 10.4103/atm.ATM_195_16.

Coronary flow reserve is impaired in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Serife Savas Bozbas  1 , Serpil Eroglu  2 , Berna Akinci Ozyurek  3 , Fusun Oner Eyuboglu  1
Affiliations

Coronary flow reserve is impaired in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Serife Savas Bozbas et al. Ann Thorac Med. 2017 Oct-Dec.

Abstract

Study objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in adult populations. Accumulating data indicate that it is independently associated with a variety of cardiovascular diseases and has prognostic importance in affected cases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate coronary flow reserve (CFR) in patients with OSA and controls.

Methods: Sixty-one patients undergoing an overnight polysomnography were enrolled in this study. Patients with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) >5 were accepted as OSA group (n = 45) and those with an AHI <5 were taken as controls (n = 16). Using Doppler echocardiography at baseline and following dipyridamole infusion, coronary peak flow velocities were obtained. CFR was calculated as the ratio of peak diastolic flow to baseline diastolic flow. A CFR value <2 was accepted as impaired coronary microvascular function.

Results: The mean age was 50.8 ± 10.8 years, of which 16 (26.2%) were female. Both groups had similar features with regard to demographic and clinical variables. The mean value of CFR was significantly lower in patients with OSA compared to those controls (2.24 ± 0.46 vs. 2.74 ± 0.62, respectively, P = 0.001). An abnormal CFR value was observed in 12 (26.7%) patients with OSA and in 1 (6.3%) participant in control group.

Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that CFR, an indicator of coronary microvascular function, is significantly impaired in patients with OSA. Coronary microvascular function, an early sign of atherosclerosis, can be evaluated noninvasively in these patients might be used as a predictor of cardiovascular risk.

Keywords: Cardiac risk; coronary flow reserve; obstructive sleep apnea; polysomnography.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Assessment of coronary flow reserve using transthoracic Doppler echocardiography. Mid to distal segment of the left anterior descending coronary artery in color-coded and spectral Doppler analysis at rest and during hyperemia induced by dipyridamole infusion
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of coronary flow values of patients with obstructive sleep apnea and controls
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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