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The Risk Profile for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Does Not Affect the Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation
Author(s) -
PADELETTI LUIGI,
GENSINI GIAN FRANCO,
PIERAGNOLI PAOLO,
RAVAZZI PIERANTONIO,
DIOTALLEVI PAOLO,
BALDI NICOLA,
RUSSO VITANTONIO,
ORAZI SERAFINO,
OCCHETTA ERALDO,
PADELETTI MARGHERITA,
CORBUCCI GIORGIO,
JELIC SANJA,
BAROLD S. SERGE
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
pacing and clinical electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.686
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1540-8159
pISSN - 0147-8389
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8159.2006.00426.x
Subject(s) - medicine , obstructive sleep apnea , atrial fibrillation , cardiology , sinus bradycardia , bradycardia , sleep apnea , body mass index , paroxysmal atrial fibrillation , apnea , heart rate , blood pressure
Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked to increased prevalence and recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that OSA may aggravate AF in patients with pacemakers implanted for sinus bradycardia who had documented paroxysmal AF.Methods: Seventy‐two patients (36 M, aged 77 ± 6 years) completed the study. All patients received a dual‐chamber pacemaker equipped with diagnostic and preventive functions for AF. OSA was diagnosed with the Berlin Questionnaire, which is validated to identify patients with OSA. Four‐month continuous pacemaker recordings were collected for all patients.Results: OSA was diagnosed in 28% of patients. Patients at high risk for OSA (HR group) and patients at low risk for OSA (LR group) were equivalent for gender, age, and body mass index. The rate of hypertension was higher in HR than in LR group (90% vs 44%, P < 0.01). The prevalence of paroxysmal AF during the study period was similar in HR and LR group (53% vs 44%, P = NS). Overall number of AF episodes per month was not significantly different between HR and LR group (7 ± 13 vs 36 ± 122, P = NS). Similarly, AF burden (AF%) was not significantly different between HR and LR group (0.3 ± 0.6 vs 2.0 ± 4.8, P = NS). Circadian distribution of AF episodes was similar in both groups.Conclusion: Long‐term pacemaker recording of AF recurrence, AF burden, and its circadian distribution is similar in patients with paroxysmal AF at high risk for OSA and those at low risk for OSA.