BackgroundChagas Disease (CD) is an important cause of morbimortality due to heart
failure and malignant arrhythmias worldwide, especially in Latin
America.ObjectiveTo investigate the association of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with heart
remodeling and cardiac arrhythmias in patients CD.MethodsConsecutive 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.ResultsWe 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) (β = 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).ConclusionsOSA is independently associated with atrial and ventricular remodeling in
patients with CD.