Treatment of Cheyne–Stokes respiration–central sleep apnea in patients with heart failure

IMPACT OF ADAPTIVE SERVO-VENTILATION IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS

Background: Sleep related breathing disorders (SRBD) as obstructive apnea, central apnea and Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) can be seen in patients with chronic heart failure. SRBD can influence prognosis of heart failure. Objective: To reveal sleep related breathing disorders in patients with heart failure and to display the effects of adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) as a new therapy modality. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study, 32 patients with heart failure were included. One night polysomnography (PSG) was done. Results: According to the results of PSG, SRBD ratio was 96,7%. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and ASV titrations were offered to all patients with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 5. Demographics and clinical properties, symptoms, PSG findings, presence of Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR), echocardiography results were recorded. Before and after ASV titration, pulmonary function tests, walking tests were performed, concentrations of transferrin and pro-BNP were determined. In the groups according to the AHI, severe OSAS in 18 of 30 patients, 4 moderate OSAS, 5 mild OSAS and 2 central sleep apnea (CSA). PSG and CPAP, ASV titrations done in 7 male and 1 female patients that obstructive apnea, central apnea, AHI, arousal and SpO2 min values had significant improvements (p=0,001 p=0,016 p=0,001 p=0,015 p=0,008 respectively). We determined all CSRs were eliminated with ASV. After ASV titration pro-BNP, walking distance and FVC values changed significantly (p=0,036 p=0,018 p=0,018 respectively). Conclusion: In the result, we determined cheyne-stokes respiration and central apneas persisted with CPAP but eliminated with one-night ASV application. ASV also decreased pro-BNP and increased FVC and walking distance values significantly.

Adaptive Servo-Ventilation as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Chronic Heart Failure

The introduction of new therapeutics for patients with chronic heart failure, including sacubitril/valsartan, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, and ivabradine, in addition to beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, lends an opportunity for significant clinical risk reduction compared to what was available just one decade ago. Further clinical options are needed, however, for patients with residual clinical congestion refractory to these therapies. Adaptive servo-ventilation is a novel therapeutic option to address significant clinical volume in cases resistant to medical therapy. The aggregate benefit of these additional therapeutic strategies in addition to foundational medical therapy may be a promising option in the selected candidates who do not achieve acceptable clinical and quality-of-life improvements with oral medical therapy alone. Now is the era to reconsider the implication of an adaptive servo-ventilation-therapy-incorporated medical therapeutic strategy for patients with congestive heart failure.

Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) Clinical Practice Guidelines 2020

The prevalence of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is reportedly very high. Among SDBs, the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is higher than previously believed, with patients having moderate-to-severe OSA accounting for approximately 20% of adult males and 10% of postmenopausal women not only in Western countries but also in Eastern countries, including Japan. Since 1998, when health insurance coverage became available, the number of patients using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for sleep apnea has increased sharply, with the number of patients about to exceed 500,000 in Japan. Although the "Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) in Adults" was published in 2005, a new guideline was prepared in order to indicate the standard medical care based on the latest trends, as supervised by and in cooperation with the Japanese Respiratory Society and the "Survey and Research on Refractory Respiratory Diseases and Pulmonary Hypertension" Group, of Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and other related academic societies, including the Japanese Society of Sleep Research, in addition to referring to the previous guidelines. Because sleep apnea is an interdisciplinary field covering many areas, this guideline was prepared including 36 clinical questions (CQs). In the English version, therapies and managements for SAS, which were written from CQ16 to 36, were shown. The Japanese version was published in July 2020 and permitted as well as published as one of the Medical Information Network Distribution Service (Minds) clinical practice guidelines in Japan in July 2021.

Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) Clinical Practice Guidelines 2020

The prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is reportedly very high. Among SDBs, the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is higher than previously believed, with patients having moderate-to-severe OSA accounting for approximately 20% of adult males and 10% of postmenopausal women not only in Western countries but also in Eastern countries, including Japan. Since 1998, when health insurance coverage became available, the number of patients using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for sleep apnea has increased sharply, with the number of patients about to exceed 500,000 in Japan. Although the "Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) in Adults" was published in 2005, a new guideline was prepared to indicate the standard medical care based on the latest trends, as supervised by and in cooperation with the Japanese Respiratory Society and the "Survey and Research on Refractory Respiratory Diseases and Pulmonary Hypertension" Group, of Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and other related academic societies, including the Japanese Society of Sleep Research, in addition to referring to the previous guidelines. Since sleep apnea is an interdisciplinary field covering many areas, this guideline was prepared including 36 clinical questions (CQs). In the English version, therapies and managements for SAS, which were written from CQ16 to 36, were shown. The Japanese version was published in July 2020 and permitted as well as published as one of the Medical Information Network Distribution Service (Minds) clinical practice guidelines in Japan in July 2021.

Detecting central sleep apnea in adult patients using WatchPAT-a multicenter validation study

Study objectives

To assess the accuracy of WatchPAT (WP—Itamar-Medical, Caesarea, Israel) enhanced with a novel systolic upstroke analysis coupled with respiratory movement analysis derived from a dedicated snoring and body position (SBP) sensor, to enable automated algorithmic differentiation between central sleep apnea (CSA) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) compared with simultaneous in-lab sleep studies with polysomnography (PSG).

Methods

Eighty-four patients with suspected sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) underwent simultaneous WP and PSG studies in 11 sleep centers. PSG scoring was blinded to the automatically analyzed WP data.

Results

Overall WP apnea-hypopnea index (AHI; mean ± SD) was 25.2 ± 21.3 (range 0.2–101) versus PSG AHI 24.4 ± 21.2 (range 0–110) (p = 0.514), and correlation was 0.87 (p < 0.001). Using a threshold of AHI ≥ 15, the sensitivity and specificity of WP versus PSG for diagnosing sleep apnea were 85% and 70% respectively and agreement was 79% (kappa = 0.867). WP central AHI (AHIc) was 4.2 ± 7.7 (range 0–38) versus PSG AHIc 5.9 ± 11.8 (range 0–63) (p = 0.034), while correlation was 0.90 (p < 0.001). Using a threshold of AHI ≥ 15, the sensitivity and specificity of WP versus PSG for diagnosing CSA were 67% and 100% respectively with agreement of 95% (kappa = 0.774), and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) area under the curve of 0.866, (p < 0.01). Using a threshold of AHI ≥ 10 showed comparable overall sleep apnea and CSA diagnostic accuracies.

Conclusions

These findings show that WP can accurately detect overall AHI and effectively differentiate between CSA and OSA.

Beneficial effects of adaptive servo-ventilation therapy on readmission and medical costs in patients with chronic heart failure

Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy is a novel modality of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation and is now widely utilized to treat patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, there has been no clinical study of the effect of ASV therapy on readmission and cost-effectiveness for the treatment of CHF. The present study was conducted to evaluate the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of home ASV therapy in 45 patients with a history of two or more admissions a year for worsening CHF. Seven patients refused to undergo chronic ASV therapy and three died. Thus, 35 patients were eventually enrolled in the present study. New York Heart Association class (2.8 ± 0.4 versus 2.3 ± 0.5, p < 0.001), log plasma B-type natriuretic peptide level (2.53 ± 0.44 versus 2.29 ± 0.40 pg/mL, p < 0.0001), left atrial dimension (47.5 ± 7.0 versus 44.9 ± 7.6 mm, p = 0.014), and mitral regurgitation area ratio (20.3 ± 12.1 versus 16.9 ± 8.9%, p = 0.007) decreased significantly after 12 months of ASV therapy. The frequency of hospitalization after ASV was significantly lower than before ASV (1.0 ± 1.0 versus 2.3 ± 0.5 times/year/patient, p < 0.0001). ASV also decreased the duration of hospitalization from 64.4 ± 46.5 to 22.8 ± 27.5 days/year/patient (p < 0.0001). Consequently, the total medical costs were reduced by 37% after ASV (1.95 ± 1.37 versus 3.11 ± 1.75 million yen/patient, p = 0.003). ASV therapy reduced readmissions and medical costs in patients with CHF.

Functional connectivity in raphé-pontomedullary circuits supports active suppression of breathing during hypocapnic apnea

Hyperventilation is a common feature of disordered breathing. Apnea ensues if CO2 drive is sufficiently reduced. We tested the hypothesis that medullary raphé, ventral respiratory column (VRC), and pontine neurons have functional connectivity and persistent or evoked activities appropriate for roles in the suppression of drive and rhythm during hyperventilation and apnea. Phrenic nerve activity, arterial blood pressure, end-tidal CO2, and other parameters were monitored in 10 decerebrate, vagotomized, neuromuscularly-blocked, and artificially ventilated cats. Multielectrode arrays recorded spiking activity of 649 neurons. Loss and return of rhythmic activity during passive hyperventilation to apnea were identified with the S-transform. Diverse fluctuating activity patterns were recorded in the raphé-pontomedullary respiratory network during the transition to hypocapnic apnea. The firing rates of 160 neurons increased during apnea; the rates of 241 others decreased or stopped. VRC inspiratory neurons were usually the last to cease firing or lose rhythmic activity during the transition to apnea. Mayer wave-related oscillations (0.04-0.1 Hz) in firing rate were also disrupted during apnea. Four-hundred neurons (62%) were elements of pairs with at least one hyperventilation-responsive neuron and a correlational signature of interaction identified by cross-correlation or gravitational clustering. Our results support a model with distinct groups of chemoresponsive raphé neurons contributing to hypocapnic apnea through parallel processes that incorporate disfacilitation and active inhibition of inspiratory motor drive by expiratory neurons. During apnea, carotid chemoreceptors can evoke rhythm reemergence and an inspiratory shift in the balance of reciprocal inhibition via suppression of ongoing tonic expiratory neuron activity.

Exercise end-tidal CO2 predicts central sleep apnea in patients with heart failure

BACKGROUND

Increased CO2 chemosensitivity and augmented exercise ventilation are characteristic of patients with heart failure (HF) with central sleep apnea (CSA). The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that decreased end-tidal CO2 by cardiopulmonary exercise testing predicts CSA in patients with HF.

METHODS

Consecutive ambulatory patients with New York Heart Association II to III HF were prospectively evaluated by CO2 chemosensitivity by rebreathe, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and polysomnography (PSG). Subjects were classified as having either CSA (n = 20) or no sleep apnea (n = 13) by PSG; a central apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5 was used to define CSA. Subgroups were compared by t test or Mann-Whitney test and data summarized as mean ± SD. P < .05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

At rest, subjects with CSA had higher central CO2 chemosensitivity (Δminute ventilation [V.e]/Δpartial pressure of end-tidal CO2 [Petco2], 2.3 ± 1.0 L/min/mm Hg vs 1.6 ± 0.4 L/min/mm Hg, P = .02) and V.e (15 ± 7 L/min vs 10 ± 3 L/min, P = .02) and lower Petco2 (31 ± 4 mm Hg vs 35 ± 4 mm Hg, P < .01) than control subjects. At peak exercise, the ventilatory equivalents per expired CO2 (V.e/V.co2) was higher (43 ± 9 vs 33 ± 6, P < .01) and Petco2 lower (29 ± 6 mm Hg vs 36 ± 5 mm Hg, P < .01) in subjects with CSA. In addition, CO2 chemosensitivity, peak exercise V.e/V.co2, and Petco2 were independently correlated with CSA severity as quantified by the AHI (P < .05). Peak exercise Petco2 was most strongly associated with CSA (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.08-1.54; P = .01; area under the curve, 0.88).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with HF and CSA, ventilatory drive is increased while awake at rest and during exercise and associated with heightened CO2 chemosensitivity and decreased arterial CO2 set point.

Cheyne-Stokes respiration during sleep: mechanisms and potential interventions

Cheyne-Stokes respiration is characterized by a typical waxing and waning pattern in breathing amplitude, interspersed with central apnoeas or hypopnoeas. This article reviews current knowledge regarding Cheyne-Stokes respiration with a particular emphasis on the mechanisms and latest methods of intervention.

Performance of conventional and enhanced adaptive servoventilation (ASV) in heart failure patients with central sleep apnea who have adapted to conventional ASV

PURPOSE

Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) is a positive pressure ventilator support system to normalize ventilation in patients with Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR). The latest generation enhanced ASV device (PaceWave; ResMed) has a new feature--auto-adjustment of EPAP. This study tested the hypothesis that enhanced ASV with auto-adjustment of EPAP (PaceWave) is non-inferior to conventional ASV (AutoSetCS).

METHODS

This prospective, randomized, crossover, single-center study enrolled adult patients with stable heart failure (HF) and moderate-to-severe sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) who had been receiving conventional ASV therapy for at least 4 weeks. Patients received conventional ASV for one night and enhanced ASV on another night. Support settings for the two ASV devices were similar, with fixed expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP) set to between 4 and 10 cm H2O and variable EPAP set to between 4 and 15 cm H2O. Full polysomnography was performed during ASV therapy on both nights. Endpoints were the number of nocturnal respiratory events and oxygen desaturations, and changes in blood pressure (BP).

RESULTS

Levels of EPAP were comparable during the use of enhanced and conventional ASV, but minimum and maximum inspiratory pressure support values were significantly higher with the PaceWave device. All measures of apnea and hypopnea, and oxygen saturation, were significantly improved during ASV therapy with either device. There were no significant changes in BP or heart rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhanced ASV is non-inferior to ASV with fixed EPAP in patients with chronic HF and CSR, with a trend towards better control of respiratory events.

Non-invasive ventilation in the treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders: A review and update

Non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) was originally used in patients with acute respiratory compromises or exacerbations of chronic respiratory diseases as an alternative to intubation. Over the last thirty years NIV has been used during the night in patients with stable chronic lung diseases such as obstructive sleep apnea, the overlap syndrome (COPD and obstructive sleep apnea), neuromuscular disorders, obesity-hypoventilation syndrome and in other conditions such as sleep disorders associated with congestive heart failure. In this review we discuss the different types of NIV, the specific conditions in which they can be used as well as the indications, recommendations, and evidence supporting the efficacy of NIV.

Contemporary insights and novel treatment approaches to central sleep apnea syndrome in heart failure

OPINION STATEMENT

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is a common and under-diagnosed condition commonly associated with Cheyne-Stokes respiration. It is particularly prevalent in the heart failure population affecting up to 40 % of all patients with heart failure. The pathophysiology associated with CSA is based on the underlying effects of hypoventilation and hyperventilation, with neurologic dysregulation of respiratory control as the primary defect. However, therapeutic options are limited because of the prevailing perception that CSA is a consequence, rather than cause of morbidity and mortality. At present, the main focus remains treating the underlying problem (ie, intensifying heart failure therapeutics, decongestion), whereas additional suggestions of using acetazolamide, progesterone, nocturnal oxygen, and theophylline have not been validated with contemporary clinical trials. Positive pressure ventilation is currently the primary recommendation for all patients with sleep-disordered breathing (CSA included), and in some patients may effectively reduce the apnea-hypopnea index. However, significant research is ongoing to determine how to treat this complex patient population.

Association between sleep apnea and overnight hemodynamic changes in hospitalized heart failure patients with and without paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea

BACKGROUND

Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND) is a common symptom for patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Some symptoms of PND are similar to those of sleep apnea (SA) which might be associated with overnight worsening hemodynamics in failing hearts. However, the association between PND, SA, and overnight change in hemodynamics in patients with heart failure remains uncertain.

METHODS

We studied 28 consecutive patients with reduced ejection fraction who were hospitalized with ADHF. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels were measured before and after overnight sleep study. PND was defined as having an episode of PND prior to hospitalization for ADHF.

RESULTS

Ten (36%) patients had a history of PND. Respiratory disturbance index (the frequency and severity of sleep apnea) was an independent factor associated with a history of PND (odds ratio 1.24, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.47, p=0.011). In those without PND, plasma ANP levels decreased from before sleep to after waking, whereas in those with PND it increased (p=0.011). In addition, overnight change in plasma ANP levels was independently associated with respiratory disturbance index (p=0.035).

CONCLUSION

These results thus suggest that in patients with ADHF, SA might be a predisposing cause of PND in association with overnight worsening hemodynamics.

Sleep apnea and heart failure. J Cardiol. 2012;60:78-85. [PMID: 22824295 DOI: 10.1016/j.jjcc.2012.05.013]

Sleep apnea is frequently observed in patients with heart failure (HF). In general, sleep apnea consists of two types: obstructive and central sleep apnea (OSA and CSA, respectively). OSA results from upper airway collapse, whereas CSA arises from reductions in central respiratory drive. In patients with OSA, blood pressure is frequently elevated as a result of sympathetic nervous system overactivation. The generation of exaggerated negative intrathoracic pressure during obstructive apneas further increases left ventricular (LV) afterload, reduces cardiac output, and may promote the progression of HF. Intermittent hypoxia and post-apneic reoxygenation cause vascular endothelial damage and possibly atherosclerosis and consequently coronary artery disease and ischemic cardiomyopathy. CSA is also characterized by apnea, hypoxia, and increased sympathetic nervous activity and, when present in HF, is associated with increased risk of death. In patients with HF, abolition of coexisting OSA by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) improves LV function and may contribute to the improvement of long-term outcomes. Although treatment options of CSA vary compared with OSA treatment, CPAP and other types of positive airway ventilation improve LV function and may be a promising adjunctive therapy for HF patients with CSA. Since HF remains one of the major causes of mortality in the industrialized countries, the significance of identifying and managing sleep apnea should be more emphasized to prevent the development or progression of HF.