Positive pressure ventilation treatment reduces plasma levels of amino terminal-pro brain natriuretic peptide in congestive heart failure patients with sleep apnea

Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation for central sleep apnoea in adults

BACKGROUND

Central sleep apnoea (CSA) is characterised by abnormal patterns of ventilation during sleep due to a dysfunctional drive to breathe. Consequently, people with CSA may present poor sleep quality, sleep fragmentation, inattention, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and reduced quality of life.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness and safety of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPV) for the treatment of adults with CSA.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus on 6 September 2021. We applied no restrictions on language of publication. We also searched clinical trials registries for ongoing and unpublished studies, and scanned the reference lists of included studies to identify additional studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) reported in full text, those published as abstract only, and unpublished data.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently selected studies for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias of the included studies using the Cochrane risk of bias tool version 1.0, and the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach. In the case of disagreement, a third review author was consulted.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 15 RCTs with a total of 1936 participants, ranging from 10 to 1325 participants. All studies had important methodological limitations. We assessed most studies (11 studies) as at high risk of bias for at least one domain, and all studies as at unclear risk of bias for at least two domains. The trials included participants aged > 18 years old, of which 70% to 100% were men, who were followed from one week to 60 months. The included studies assessed the effects of different modes of NIPV and CSA. Most participants had CSA associated with chronic heart failure. Because CSA encompasses a variety of causes and underlying clinical conditions, data were carefully analysed, and different conditions and populations were not pooled. The findings for the primary outcomes for the seven evaluated comparisons are presented below.  Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) plus best supportive care versus best supportive care in CSA associated with chronic heart failure In the short term, CPAP plus best supportive care may reduce central apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI) (mean difference (MD) -14.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) -20.11 to -9.09; 1 study; 205 participants). However, CPAP plus best supportive care may result in little to no difference in cardiovascular mortality compared to best supportive care alone. The evidence for the effect of CPAP plus best supportive care on all-cause mortality is very uncertain. No adverse effects were observed with CPAP, and the results for adverse events in the best supportive care group were not reported. Adaptive servo ventilation (ASV) versus CPAP in CSA associated with chronic heart failure The evidence is very uncertain about the effect of ASV versus CPAP on quality of life evaluated in both the short and medium term. Data on adverse events were not reported, and it is not clear whether data were sought but not found. ASV versus bilevel ventilation in CSA associated with chronic heart failure In the short term, ASV may result in little to no difference in central AHI. No adverse events were detected with ASV, and the results for adverse events in the bilevel ventilation group were not reported. ASV plus best supportive care versus best supportive care in CSA associated with chronic heart failure In the medium term, ASV plus best supportive care may reduce AHI compared to best supportive care alone (MD -20.30, 95% CI -28.75 to -11.85; 1 study; 30 participants). In the long term, ASV plus best supportive care likely increases cardiovascular mortality compared to best supportive care (risk ratio (RR) 1.25, 95% CI 1.04, 1.49; 1 study; 1325 participants). The evidence suggests that ASV plus best supportive care may result in little to no difference in quality of life in the short, medium, and long term, and in all-cause mortality in the medium and long term. Data on adverse events were evaluated but not reported. ASV plus best supportive care versus best supportive care in CSA with acute heart failure with preserved ejection fraction Only adverse events were reported for this comparison, and no adverse events were recorded in either group. ASV versus CPAP maintenance in CPAP-induced CSA In the short term, ASV may slightly reduce central AHI (MD -4.10, 95% CI -6.67 to -1.53; 1 study; 60 participants), but may result in little to no difference in quality of life. Data on adverse events were not reported, and it is not clear whether data were sought but not found. ASV versus bilevel ventilation in CPAP-induced CSA In the short term, ASV may slightly reduce central AHI (MD -8.70, 95% CI -11.42 to -5.98; 1 study; 30 participants) compared to bilevel ventilation. Data on adverse events were not reported, and it is not clear whether data were sought but not found.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

CPAP plus best supportive care may reduce central AHI in people with CSA associated with chronic heart failure compared to best supportive care alone. Although ASV plus best supportive care may reduce AHI in people with CSA associated with chronic heart failure, it likely increases cardiovascular mortality in these individuals. In people with CPAP-induced CSA, ASV may slightly reduce central AHI compared to bilevel ventilation and to CPAP. In the absence of data showing a favourable impact on meaningful patient-centred outcomes and defining clinically important differences in outcomes in CSA patients, these findings need to be interpreted with caution. Considering the level of certainty of the available evidence and the heterogeneity of participants with CSA, we could draw no definitive conclusions, and further high-quality trials focusing on patient-centred outcomes, such as quality of life, quality of sleep, and longer-term survival, are needed to determine whether one mode of NIPV is better than another or than best supportive care for any particular CSA patient group.

Positive airway pressure therapy for the treatment of central sleep apnoea associated with heart failure

BACKGROUND

Ischaemic heart disease including heart failure is the most common cause of death in the world, and the incidence of the condition is rapidly increasing. Heart failure is characterised by symptoms such as fatigue and breathlessness during light activity, as well as disordered breathing during sleep. In particular, sleep disordered breathing (SDB), including central sleep apnoea (CSA) and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), is highly prevalent in people with chronic heart failure. A previous meta-analysis demonstrated that positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy dramatically increased the survival rate of people with heart failure who had CSA, and thus could contribute to improving the prognosis of these individuals. However, recent trials found that adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) including PAP therapy had a higher risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. A meta-analysis that included recent trials was therefore needed.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of positive airway pressure therapy for people with heart failure who experience central sleep apnoea.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science Core Collection on 7 February 2019 with no limitations on date, language, or publication status. We also searched two clinical trials registers in July 2019 and checked the reference lists of primary studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We excluded cross-over trials and included individually randomised controlled trials, reported as full-texts, those published as abstract only, and unpublished data.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently extracted outcome data from the included studies. We double-checked that data had been entered correctly by comparing the data presented in the systematic review with study reports. We analysed dichotomous data as risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and continuous data as mean difference (MD) or standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% CIs. Furthermore, we performed subgroup analysis in the ASV group or continuous PAP group separately. We used GRADEpro GDT software to assess the quality of evidence as it relates to those studies that contribute data to the meta-analyses for the prespecified outcomes.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 16 randomised controlled trials involving a total of 2125 participants. The trials evaluated PAP therapy consisting of ASV or continuous PAP therapy for 1 to 31 months. Many trials included participants with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Only one trial included participants with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. We are uncertain about the effects of PAP therapy on all-cause mortality (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.21; participants = 1804; studies = 6; I² = 47%; very low-quality evidence). We found moderate-quality evidence of no difference between PAP therapy and usual care on cardiac-related mortality (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.24; participants = 1775; studies = 5; I² = 11%). We found low-quality evidence of no difference between PAP therapy and usual care on all-cause rehospitalisation (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.30; participants = 1533; studies = 5; I² = 40%) and cardiac-related rehospitalisation (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.35; participants = 1533; studies = 5; I² = 40%). In contrast, PAP therapy showed some indication of an improvement in quality of life scores assessed by all measurements (SMD -0.32, 95% CI -0.67 to 0.04; participants = 1617; studies = 6; I² = 76%; low-quality evidence) and by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MD -0.51, 95% CI -0.78 to -0.24; participants = 1458; studies = 4; I² = 0%; low-quality evidence) compared with usual care. Death due to pneumonia (N = 1, 3% of PAP group); cardiac arrest (N = 18, 3% of PAP group); heart transplantation (N = 8, 1% of PAP group); cardiac worsening (N = 3, 9% of PAP group); deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism (N = 1, 3% of PAP group); and foot ulcer (N = 1, 3% of PAP group) occurred in the PAP therapy group, whereas cardiac arrest (N = 16, 2% of usual care group); heart transplantation (N = 12, 2% of usual care group); cardiac worsening (N = 5, 14% of usual care group); and duodenal ulcer (N = 1, 3% of usual care group) occurred in the usual care group across three trials.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The effect of PAP therapy on all-cause mortality was uncertain. In addition, although we found evidence that PAP therapy did not reduce the risk of cardiac-related mortality and rehospitalisation, there was some indication of an improvement in quality of life for heart failure patients with CSA. Furthermore, the evidence was insufficient to determine whether adverse events were more common with PAP than with usual care. These findings were limited by low- or very low-quality evidence. PAP therapy may be worth considering for individuals with heart failure to improve quality of life.

Biomarkers in Sleep Apnea and Heart Failure

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is highly prevalent in heart failure (HF) and may confer significant stress to the cardiovascular system and increases the risk for future cardiovascular events. The present review will provide updates on the current understanding of the relationship of SDB and common HF biomarkers and the effect of positive airway pressure therapy on these biomarkers, with particular emphasis in patients with coexisting SDB and HF.

RECENT FINDINGS

Prior studies have examined the relationship between HF biomarkers and SDB, and the effect of SDB treatment on these biomarkers, with less data available in the context of coexisting SDB and HF. Overall, however, the association of SDB and circulating biomarkers has been inconsistent. Further research is needed to elucidate the relationship between biomarkers and SDB in HF, to evaluate the clinical utility of biomarkers over standard methods in large, prospective studies and also to assess the impact of treatment of SDB on these biomarkers in HF via interventional studies.

Natriuretic Peptide and High-Sensitive Troponin T Concentrations Correlate with Effectiveness of Short-Term CPAP in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Coronary Artery Disease

The risk of cardiovascular complications is increased in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the most effective way to treat clinically significant OSA. We hypothesized that the concentrations of the cardiac risk markers N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitive troponin T (hs-TropT) correlate with the effectiveness of CPAP therapy in patients with OSA and coexisting coronary artery disease (CAD). Twenty-one patients with severe OSA and coexisting CAD (group 1) and 20 control patients with severe OSA alone (group 2) were treated with CPAP and monitored by laboratory-based polysomnography. NT-proBNP and hs-TropT levels were measured before and after CPAP. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen desaturation were similar in both groups. In group 1, hs-TropT levels correlated with AHI and oxygen desaturation upon CPAP. Elevated NT-proBNP levels in group 1 were significantly reduced by CPAP. NT-proBNP levels correlated with AHI and showed negative correlation with ST-segment depression. No such correlations were found in group 2. CPAP has the potential to normalize elevated NT-proBNP serum levels in patients with severe OSA and coexisting CAD. Levels of NT-proBNP and hs-TropT correlated with AHI and oxygen desaturation.

How does serum brain natriuretic peptide level change under nasal continuous positive airway pressure in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome?

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, which can be improved by using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. However, the pathophysiological links between the two kinds of disease and the mechanism of the CPAP effect remain incompletely understood. We aimed to inquire into the myocardial involvement in this relationship. We suggested that serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is sensitive enough to detect myocardial stress caused by OSAHS.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Sixty-four subjects without cardiovascular disease (21 controls, 24 normotensive OSAHS patients, and 19 hypertensive OSAHS patients) were analyzed for serum BNP at baseline and serially over 6 months. CPAP was applied to 23 patients with severe OSAHS.

RESULTS

At baseline, the serum BNP levels were significantly higher (p=0.0001) in the OSAHS group (22.3±14.79 pg/ml) than in the control group (9.2±6.75 pg/ml). Increased serum BNP levels were significantly associated with mean transcutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2) (p<0.0001), minimal SpO2 (p=0.002), oxygen desaturation index (p=0.001), and total sleep time spent with SpO2 lower than 90% (p=0.002). All patients with elevated BNP levels (≥37 pg/ml) had moderate or severe OSAHS (11/43 OSAHS patients). The more severe the OSAHS, the higher the BNP levels were. However, only the difference between severe and mild OSAHS was statistically significant (p=0.029). Hypertensive OSAHS patients had the highest baseline BNP levels (27.7±16.74 pg/ml). They were significantly higher (p=0.001) than in normotensive OSAHS patients (18±11.72 pg/ml) (p=0.039) and the controls (9.2±6.75 pg/ml). As compared with baseline, treatment with CPAP significantly decreased BNP levels in both hypertensive and normotensive OSAHS patients (respectively, from 36±16.10 to 29.7±14.29 pg/ml, p<0.001, and from 20±10.09 to 16±8.98 pg/ml, p<0.001). In contrast, the BNP levels slightly increased in the controls (from 9.2±6.75 to 9.5±7.02 pg/ml, p=0.029), but there was no statistically significant difference in comparison with the baseline value. The effect of CPAP on BNP levels was more marked in patients with higher baseline BNP levels and those with the most prolonged nocturnal desaturation (p=0.001, r=0.65). It was also more marked in hypertensive OSHAS patients (p=0.015, r=0.72) in comparison with normotensive OSAHS patients (p=0.03, r=0.62).

CONCLUSION

BNP seems to be sensitive enough to detect myocardial stress caused by OSAHS. As such, it is a potential marker for screening of preclinical cardiovascular damage in patients with untreated OSAHS. Application of CPAP decreases levels significantly in normotensive and particularly in hypertensive OSAHS. These findings are consistent with previous results suggesting the potential benefits of CPAP on cardiovascular outcome in OSAHS patients.

Markers of Myocardial Ischemia in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications. OSA and coronary artery disease (CAD) share the same risk factors and coexist in many patients. In previous studies, repeated nocturnal cardiac ischemic events in OSA patients with CAD have been reported.

HYPOTHESIS

We hypothesized that OSA may precipitate myocardial ischemia, evidenced by ST-segment depression and elevated N-terminal brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TropT) levels in patients with severe OSA and concomitant CAD. We also aimed to evaluate if the effects could be reversed by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

METHODS

Twenty-one patients with severe OSA (apnea-hypopnea index >15/h, nadir oxygen desaturation ≤ 80%), and coexisting CAD underwent in-hospital polysomnography at baseline and under CPAP. Blood samples for hs-TropT and NT-proBNP measurements were drawn prior and immediately after sleep. ST-segment depression was measured at the time of maximum oxygen desaturation during sleep.

RESULTS

CPAP significantly decreased elevated NT-proBNP levels from 475 ± 654 pg/mL before sleep to 353 ± 573 pg/mL after sleep and attenuated ST-segment depression during sleep. hs-TropT was not elevated and did not differ after nocturnal oxygen desaturation at baseline and after CPAP.

CONCLUSIONS

CPAP significantly reduced NT-proBNP in patients suffering from severe OSA and coexisting CAD. Repeated nocturnal myocardial ischemia did not cause myocyte necrosis evidenced by elevated hs-TropT or ST-segment depression.

Impact of CPAP treatment on cardiac biomarkers and pro-BNP in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy on pro-brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cardiac markers in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and normal cardiac function.

METHODS

Thirty-three consecutive patients with sleep apnea syndrome were analysed for serum pro-BNP and cardiac markers prior to and after 6 months of CPAP therapy.

RESULTS

Twenty five patients had normal (83.3%) while remaining five (16.7%) revealed high pro-BNP values. We did not detect any significant difference between severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and serum pro-BNP levels (p = 0.534). A statistically significant difference was not observed between basal and sixth-month creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), troponin I, pro-BNP, aspartate transaminase (AST), and CK levels in patients with sleep apnea syndrome (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome does not induce myocardial damage enough to increase serum pro-BNP, CK, CK-MB, troponin I, and AST levels. Markers sensitive to ischemia could be preferred to evaluate effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Bi-level positive airway pressure ventilation for treating heart failure with central sleep apnea that is unresponsive to continuous positive airway pressure

BACKGROUND

Cheyne-Stokes respiration with central sleep apnea (CSR-CSA) is associated with a poor prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF). However, some patients do not respond to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), so other therapeutic modalities should be considered, such as bi-level positive airway pressure (PAP), which also assists respiration and might be effective for such patients.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The 20 patients with HF because of left ventricular systolic dysfunction were assessed: 8 had ischemic etiology, and all had severe CSA according to the apnea - hypopnea index (AHI) determined by polysomnography. All diagnosed patients underwent repeat polysomnography using CPAP. The AHI improved significantly in 11 (AHI <15), but only slightly in 9, in whom the AHI remained high (>or=15). Bi-level PAP titration significantly improved the AHI in the latter group. Those who were unresponsive to CPAP had significantly lower PaCO(2), higher plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), longer mean duration of CSR and fewer obstructive episodes than CPAP responders. After 6 months of positive airway support with either CPAP (n=9) or bi-level PAP (n=7), BNP levels significantly decreased and left ventricular ejection fraction significantly increased.

CONCLUSIONS

Bi-level PAP could be an effective alternative for patients with HF and pure CSR-CSA who are unresponsive to CPAP.