Sleep-disordered breathing in patients with chronic heart failure before and after heart transplantation

Abstract

Objective: To explore the characteristics of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in chronic heart failure patients waiting for heart transplantation and the changes of SDB after transplantation. Methods: From September 2018 to December 2019, 34 patients with chronic heart failure were prospectively enrolled into this study, who were hospitalized for waiting for heart transplantation in the departments of cardiovascular medicine and cardiovascular surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University. All of them received portable sleep physiological monitoring. The characteristics of their SDB were analyzed before and after heart transplantation. Results: Of the 34 patients waiting for heart transplantation, 22 had central sleep apnea, 4 had obstructive sleep apnea and 8 had no SDB. The cycle length of Cheyne-Stokes respiration was negatively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction. After heart transplantation, 15 patients received repeat sleep physiological monitoring and their results showed that the SDB was significantly improved, with the elimination of Cheyne-Stokes respiration. Conclusions: Patients waiting for heart transplantation had a high prevalence of SDB, with Cheyne-Stokes respiration with central sleep apnea as the main type. However, heart transplantation may eliminate the Cheyne-Stokes respiration in patients with chronic heart failure.