Obstructive Sleep Apnea is Common and Associated with Heart Remodeling in Patients with Chagas Disease

Abstract

Background: Chagas Disease (CD) is an important cause of morbimortality due to heart failure and malignant arrhythmias worldwide, especially in Latin America.

Objective: To investigate the association of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with heart remodeling and cardiac arrhythmias in patients CD.

Methods: Consecutive patients with CD, aged between 30 to 65 years old were enrolled. Participants underwent clinical evaluation, sleep study, 24-hour Holter monitoring, echocardiogram and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Results: We evaluated 135 patients [age: 56 (45-62) years; 30% men; BMI: 26 ± 4 kg/m2, Chagas cardiomyopathy: 70%]. Moderate to severe OSA (apnea-hypopnea index, AHI, ≥ 15 events/h) was present in 21% of the patients. OSA was not associated with arrhythmias in this population. As compared to patients with mild or no OSA, patients with moderate to severe OSA had higher frequency of hypertension (79% vs. 72% vs. 44%, p < 0.01) higher nocturnal systolic blood pressure: 119 ± 17 vs. 113 ± 13 vs. 110 ± 11 mmHg, p = 0.01; larger left atrial diameter [37 (33-42) vs. 35 (33-39) vs. 33 (30-36) mm, p < 0.01]; and a greater proportion of left ventricular dysfunction [LVEF < 50% (39% vs. 28% vs. 11%), p < 0.01], respectively. Predictor of left atrial dimension was Log10 (AHI) (b = 3.86, 95% CI: 1.91 to 5.81; p < 0.01). Predictors of ventricular dysfunction were AHI > 15 events/h (OR = 3.61, 95% CI: 1.31 - 9.98; p = 0.01), systolic blood pressure (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.10; p < 0.01) and male gender (OR = 3.24, 95% CI: 1.31 - 8.01; p = 0.01).

Conclusions: OSA is independently associated with atrial and ventricular remodeling in patients with CD.

Figura 1

Diagrama de fluxo do paciente.

Figura 2

Diâmetro do átrio esquerdo em pacientes com doença de Chagas. AOS: apneia obstrutiva do sono. Teste de Kruskal-Wallis, com post-hoc de Bonferroni.

Figura 3

Freqüência de Apneia Obstrutiva do Sono em Pacientes com Doença de Chagas. AOS: Apneia Obstrutiva do Sono; IAH: índice de apneia-hipopneia; e/h: eventos por hora. Teste de Kruskal-Wallis.