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Efficacy of continuous positive airway pressure on arrhythmias in obstructive sleep apnea patients

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular disorders in a large Japanese population, and to assess the efficacy of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in the treatment of OSA-associated arrhythmias. The study population comprised 1394 Japanese subjects (1086 men and 308 women) who were divided into four groups on the basis of polysomnography (PSG) analysis as follows: the no sleep apnea (N-SA) group (n = 44, apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] < 5), the mild OSA (Mi-OSA) group (n = 197, 5 < AHI < 15), the moderate OSA (Mo) group (n = 368, 15 < AHI < 30), and severe OSA (SOSA) group (n = 785, AHI < 30). The following baseline characteristics were significantly associated with OSA: age (P < 0.001), gender (P < 0.001), body mass index (P < 0.001), hypertension (P < 0.001), diabetes (P = 0.009), and hyperlipidemia (P = 0.013). In the OSA group, PSG revealed the predominance of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) (P = 0.051), premature atrial complex short run (P < 0.005), premature ventricular complex (PVC, P = 0.004), sinus bradycardia (P = 0.036), and sinus pause (arrest >2 s, P < 0.001) during the PSG recording. A total of 316 patients from the group underwent CPAP titration and were then re-evaluated. Continuous positive airway pressure therapy significantly reduced the occurrences of PAF (P < 0.001), PVC (P = 0.016), sinus bradycardia (P = 0.001), and sinus pause (P = 0.004). The results of this study demonstrate a significant relationship between OSA and several cardiac disorders, and also demonstrate the efficacy of CPAP in preventing OSA-associated arrhythmias in a large population of Japanese patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto, Nagano, 390-8621, Japan

    Hidetoshi Abe, Masafumi Takahashi, Jun Koyama & Uichi Ikeda

  2. Sleep Center, Matsumoto Kyoritsu Hospital, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan

    Hidetoshi Abe, Hironobu Yaegashi & Seiichiro Eda

  3. Cardiovascular Center, Matsumoto Kyoritsu Hospital, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan

    Hidetoshi Abe, Hideo Tsunemoto, Mamoru Kamikozawa & Kyohei Yamazaki

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  1. Hidetoshi Abe
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  2. Masafumi Takahashi
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  3. Hironobu Yaegashi
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  4. Seiichiro Eda
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Correspondence to Masafumi Takahashi.

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Abe, H., Takahashi, M., Yaegashi, H. et al. Efficacy of continuous positive airway pressure on arrhythmias in obstructive sleep apnea patients. Heart Vessels 25, 63–69 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00380-009-1164-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00380-009-1164-z

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