Long-term effects of dynamic atrial overdrive pacing on sleep-related breathing disorders in pacemaker or cardioverter defibrillator recipients

Benefit of Atrial Overdrive Pacing in Patients with Sleep Apnea: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Sleep apnea is one of the most common conditions around the world. This disorder can significantly impact cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Atrial overdrive pacing (AOP) is a treatment modality that can potentially decrease respiratory events. There is currently a lack of evidence to confirm the benefits of AOP. We aimed to assess the impact of AOP in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), central sleep apnea (CSA), and mixed type.

METHODS

A literature search for studies that reported the impact on apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) by cardiac implantable electronic devices with different pacing modes was conducted using MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Database from inception through July 2020. Pooled standard mean difference with 95%CI was calculated using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies, including thirteen randomized studies and two observational studies containing 440 patients, were identified. The standard mean difference in apnea-hypopnea index of atrial overdrive pacing demonstrated less duration of apnea/hypopnea in patients with atrial overdrive pacing (AOP) (SMD -0.29, 95%CI: -0.48, -0.10, I² = 57%). Additional analysis was performed to assess the effect of atrial overdrive pacing in patients with or without severe sleep apnea syndrome (mean AHI < 30 defined as non-severe). There was no statistically significant difference in standardized mean in AHI in both subgroups between AOP and control groups (SMD -0.25, severe sleep apnea syndrome SMD -0.03, I² = 0.00%).

CONCLUSIONS

AOP was associated with a statistically significant reduction in AHI, but the magnitude of reduction was small. AOP may potentially be used as an adjunctive treatment with other modalities in treating patients with sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea and arrhythmias: new updates

AIMS

Obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea (OSAH) is a prevalent condition characterized by repetitive pharyngeal collapse during sleep, leading to hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and persistent inspiratory efforts against an occluded airway until arousal. Several studies demonstrated that OSAH exerts acute and chronic effects on the cardiovascular system. Thus, although being a respiratory problem, the most important consequences of OSAH are cardiovascular, among which there are arrhythmias. The purpose of this review is to systematically analyse what has been recently published about the relationship between OSAH and every cardiac arrhythmia separately.

METHODS

We searched Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane Collaboration databases for 'OSAHS arrhythmias', 'OSAH arrhythmias' and 'OSA arrhythmias'. We analyse 1298 articles and meta-analyses, excluding already edited reviews.

RESULTS

Arrhythmias, especially of ventricular origin, are frequent in OSAH. Ventricular premature beats, couplets and ventricular tachycardia runs are even more frequent in patients suffering from heart failure. They may be due to left heart remodelling, overwork and ischaemia and can explain at least some sudden deaths occurring between midnight and 6 a.m. Sinus pauses and atrioventricular blocks are increased according to the severity of the disturbance and may be reduced by continuous positive airway pressure therapy, preventing pace-maker implantation. Finally, atrial fibrillation, resistance against antiarrhythmic drugs and recurrences after surgical procedures are strongly related to OSAH.

CONCLUSION

Arrhythmias are frequent in OSAH. Treatment of OSAH may reduce some of them. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and continuous positive airway pressure should be considered in some patients.

How to take arms against central apneas in heart failure

Introduction Despite being a risk mediator in several observational studies, central apneas are currently orphan of treatment in heart failure. After the neutral effects on survival of two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) based on the use of positive airway pressure (the CANPAP and SERVE-HF trials), two alternative hypotheses have been formulated: 1) Periodic breathing/Cheyne-Stokes respiration (PB/CSR) in HF is protective. Indeed, the Naughton's hypothesis assumes that hyperventilation leads to increased cardiac output, lung volume, oxygen storage and reduced muscle sympathetic nerve activity, while central apnea to respiratory muscle rest and hypoxia-induced erythropoiesis. 2) The use of positive airway pressure is just a wrong treatment for PB/CSR. If this is the case, the search for novel potential alternative treatment approaches is mandatory in HF. Areas covered This review will focus on the crucial issue of whether PB/CSR should be treated or not in HF, first by outlining the ideal design of pathophysiological studies to test the Naughton's hypothesis and second by summarizing the treatment strategies so far proposed for PB/CSR in HF and identifying the most promising options to be tested in future RCTs. Expert commentary It is likely that PB/CSR may be compensatory in some cases, but after a certain threshold (to be defined) it becomes maladaptive with negative prognostic meaning in HF. The development of a pathophysiologically based treatment targeting feedback resetting and neurohormonal activation underlying PB/CSR is likely to be the best option to obtain survival benefits in HF.

Effect of cardiac pacing on sleep-related breathing disorders: a systematic review

Sleep-related breathing disorders are commonly encountered in the middle-aged population, negatively affecting quality of life. Central sleep apnea is associated with congestive heart failure, whereas obstructive sleep apnea is related to different pathophysiologic mechanisms, such as the total or partial occlusion of upper airway tract. Both sleep-related disorders have been associated with increased morbidity, and hence, they have been a target of several treatment strategies. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effect of different types of cardiac pacing on sleep-related breathing disorders in patients with or without heart failure. The PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were examined from April 2015 to January 2016. Of the initial 360 studies, 22 eligible trials were analyzed. The included studies were classified according to the type of sleep disorder and the intervention undertaken. The evidence shows that cardiac resynchronization therapy but not atrial overdrive pacing can reduce apneic events in central sleep apnea patients. However, their effect on obstructive sleep apnea is controversial. It can be assumed that pacing cannot be used alone as treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders. Further research is needed in order to elucidate the effect of these interventions in sleep apnea patients.

Overdrive ventricular pacing in pacemaker recipients with permanent atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Cardiac pacing is ineffective in obstructive sleep apnea (SA), but it can alleviate central SA/Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSA) in patients with heart failure (HF). We examined whether overnight overdrive ventricular pacing (OVP) has an effect on SA in pacemaker recipients with permanent atrial fibrillation (AF).

METHODS

An apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15 was confirmed in 28/38 patients screened by finger pulse oximetry during overnight ventricular pacing at a backup rate of 40 bpm (BUV40). These patients (23 men, 77.9 ± 7.6 y, BMI 27.6 ± 5.1 kg/m(2)) were randomly assigned to 2 consecutive nocturnal ventilation polygraphies with BUV40 versus OVP at 20 bpm above the mean nocturnal heart rate observed during screening.

RESULTS

During BUV40 versus OVP, (1) mean heart rate was 49 ± 8 versus 71 ± 8 bpm (p < 0.0001) and percent ventricular pacing 36% ± 38% versus 96% ± 6% (p < 0.0001); (2) AHI was 35.4 ± 11.9 versus 32.5 ± 15.5 (p = ns), central AHI 23.9 ± 11.8 versus 19.1 ± 12.7 (p < 0.001), and obstructive AHI 11.6 ± 13.1 versus 13.5 ± 15.9 (p = ns). In 15/28 patients without HF, mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 51% ± 17%, AHI was 37.6 ± 11.0 during BUV40 and 39.0 ± 11.5 during OVP, versus 32.8 ± 12.9 and 24.9 ± 16.5 in 13/28 patients with HF (p = 0.02) and mean LVEF 35% ± 15% (p = 0.01). Between the 2 subgroups, (1) central AHI was 23.6 ± 12.4 during BUV40 and 21.5 ± 14.0 during OVP versus 24.1 ± 11.6 and 16.2 ± 10.7 (p = 0.05); (2) obstructive AHI was 14.0 ± 13.7 during BUV40 and 17.6 ± 16.5 during OVP versus 8.8 ± 12.3 and 8.7 ± 14.3 (p = ns).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of SA, predominantly central, was high in our pacemaker recipients with permanent AF. In those with HF, a single overnight OVP resulted in modest improvement in central events.

The association between the Framingham risk score and sleep: a São Paulo epidemiological sleep study

BACKGROUND

Sleep is an important factor in the maintenance of cardiovascular integrity. It seems that cardiovascular injury and sleep impairment is another chicken or egg puzzle and we hypothesized that the higher the cardiovascular risk factors the higher the sleep impairment. Therefore, the goal of this study is to analyze the sleep profile of a general population based on cardiovascular risk stratification.

METHODS

This population-based survey used a probabilistic three-stage cluster sample of Sao Paulo inhabitants to represent the population. A sample size of 1056 volunteers was defined in order to allow for prevalence estimates with 3% precision. From the 1101 selected and interviewed participants, a complete full-night polysomnogram (PSG) was performed in 1042 participants as well as clinical evaluation and blood samples analyses to assess Framingham risk score.

RESULTS

Nine hundred four subjects were classified according the Framingham score and were included in the analyses. A total of 91.7% were classified as a low risk, 5.8% in the intermediate, and 2.4% in the high risk groups according to Framingham score. All polisomnographic parameters were different between groups, except those related to REM sleep parameters. AHI were greater in the high risk compared to the intermediate and low risk groups (23.9 ± 2.8; 17.7 ± 1.8; 7.2 ± 0.5, respectively, p<0.001), as well as a lower total sleep time in minutes (295.3 ± 16.2; 338.4 ± 10.2; 347.4 ± 2.6, respectively, p=0.01). Sleep efficiency in percentage also exhibits a reduction between groups (67.6 ± 2.5; 78.4 ± 1.6; 82.9 ± 0.4, respectively, p<0.001). After adjustment for confounder factors age (p<0.001) and sleep efficiency (p=0.06) remained strongly associated with high risk population.

CONCLUSION

High Framingham risk score was associated with poor sleep efficiency and aging.

[Sleep-disordered breathing and cardiac resynchronization therapy]

Patients with progressive heart failure often suffer from sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Upon receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), there is an improvement of cardiac function and central sleep apnea syndrome (CSA) with Cheyne-Stokes respiration; however, effects of CRT on obstructive sleep apnea syndrome seemed to be without clinical relevance. Likewise, additional atrial overdrive pacing did not improve CRT effects relevantly in CSA patients. During CRT, there is an improvement in sleep parameters, sleep quality by reduction of depressive syndromes, and in long-term survival. Therefore, all patients with chronic heart failure and indication for CRT should be monitored regarding SDB before and after CRT device implantation.

Sleep quality and sleepiness in persons with implantable cardioverter defibrillators: outcome from a clinical randomized longitudinal trial

BACKGROUND

Patients receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) report various types and degree of sleep disruptions, but little is known regarding their characteristics, duration, and associated factors. The purposes of this study were: (1) to describe the effect of a psychoeducational intervention on sleep quality and daytime sleepiness, (2) to describe patterns of sleep over time, and (3) to identify predictors of poor sleep in an ICD population.

METHODS

A randomized longitudinal intervention trial was designed to test the effects of a psychoeducational intervention, which included a sleep education and counseling session in patients receiving their initial ICD. Patients (n=236; 75% men; mean age 58.4 [±11.2] from the PsychoEducationAl Intervention for ICD PatiEnts (PEACE) trial comprised the study population. Variables related to sleep were measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).

RESULTS

No psychoeducational intervention effects on sleep outcomes were observed. However, 67.2% of the patients reported poor sleep quality at baseline, and 56.8% had low sleep quality at 6 months based on PSQI scores>5; one-third (32.6%) were excessively sleepy based on ESS scores≥10 at 6 months. Anxiety, depression, physical function, pain intensity, and pain severity were all highly correlated to each other across time. Female gender was a significant covariate for the PSQI. New York Heart Association (NYHA) class was a significant covariate for sleepiness (Epworth).

CONCLUSIONS

Low sleep quality and daytime sleepiness are found at time of insertion and over time in patients with ICD. Female gender, higher NYHA class, as well as two latent factors encompassing increased anxiety, depressive symptoms, and decreased physical function and increased pain, were significant predictors of poor sleep quality and sleepiness over time. These data help identify those at higher risk for sleep problems after ICD.