Open heartOct 30, 2024

Heart structure changes in people with irregular heartbeat and sleep apnea

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated Apr 6, 2026

Abstract

109 patients with and paroxysmal were enrolled in the study.

(CPAP) treatment did not lead to improvements in left atrial and left ventricular measurements over 12 months.
Left ventricular ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain were within normal ranges at baseline for patients receiving CPAP.
Left atrial volume index and volume were increased, while left atrial reservoir strain was decreased at baseline.
The burden of atrial fibrillation decreased significantly in patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation, regardless of CPAP treatment.

Simplified

BACKGROUND: (OSA) can cause left atrial (LA) and left ventricular (LV) remodelling, which is linked to (AF). Whether (CPAP) can reverse LA and LV remodelling in patients with OSA and paroxysmal AF (PAF) has yet to be studied. We assessed the impact of CPAP treatment on LA and LV size and function in patients with OSA and PAF before and after catheter ablation.

METHODS: In a randomised controlled trial, we screened patients with PAF for OSA. We enrolled patients with an Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index ≥15/hour. The burden of AF was monitored by an implantable loop recorder in all patients. Patients were then randomised to CPAP treatment or standard care. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed at baseline and after 6 and 12 months to assess LV and LA function and remodelling with advanced echocardiographic imaging techniques.

RESULTS: We enrolled 109 patients (63±7 years, body mass index 29.6±4.3, 76% men). 83 patients were scheduled for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and 26 for clinical follow-up only. 55 patients were randomised to CPAP and 54 to standard care. The burden of AF decreased significantly in patients who underwent PVI irrespective of treatment with CPAP (p for difference ≤0.001). Patients in the study group had LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) within the normal range, increased LA Volume Index (LAVI), LA volume (by speckle tracking) and decreased LA reservoir strain at baseline. We did not observe any improvement in LVEF, GLS, LAVI, LA volume or LA reservoir strain in either group during the 12 months of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: In patients with PAF and OSA, treatment with CPAP was not associated with reverse LA remodelling within 12 months of follow-up.

Key numbers

26.7±12.7 events/hour to 1.7±1.3 events/hour

Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index Reduction

Measured before and after 12 months of treatment.

109 patients

Patient Enrollment

Total number of patients with PAF and enrolled in the study.

6.4% to 0.6%

Burden Post-PVI

burden before and after PVI in the treatment group.

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Heart structure changes in people with irregular heartbeat and sleep apnea

Abstract

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