Effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on left ventricular function

BackgroundThe link between OSAS, left ventricular dysfunction, and congestive heart failure is less known, although OSAS is frequent in both systolic and diastolic heart failure patients.AimTo study left ventricular function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and to assess the correlation between the severity of OSA and the degree of ventricular dysfunction.Subjects and methodsThis study was conducted on 45 subjects (22 males and 23 females) in Chest Department, Tanta University Hospitals, they were classified into two groups: Group A included 15 apparently healthy subjects, by sleep study they were normal as apnea hypopnea index (AHI) < 5/h and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) < 5/h. Group B included 30 patients with obstructive sleep apnea diagnosed by sleep study (AHI > 5/h and ODI > 5/h).ResultsEight (26.66%) out of the 30 OSAS patients (group B) were hypertensive and have left ventricular dysfunction. The mean value of AHI was (2.53±1.06) and (24.6±14.35) in groups A and B, respectively. The mean value of AHI was significantly higher in group B than group A (p=0.001). Significant correlation was found between AHI, diastolic and systolic dysfunctions, respectively (r= 0.324; p= 0.019 and r=0.288; p=0.049).ConclusionObstructive sleep apnea syndrome may predispose in left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, AHI is correlated with the degree of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.