Cardiac structure and function improvements in coronary artery disease combined with severe obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome patients via noninvasive positive pressure ventilation therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a noninvasive positive pressure ventilation therapy on cardiac structure and function in patients with coronary heart disease combined with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty patients with coronary heart disease OSAHS were divided randomly into treatment (n=40) and control (n=40) groups. Both groups received standard medications. The treatment group received additional noninvasive mechanical ventilation support for at least 3 h (3-6 h) every night. On the first day after selection and 3 months afterwards, participants were examined with echocardiograms, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and blood analyses. Primary endpoints were left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left ventricular end-systolic diameter, left ventricular ejection fraction, left atrial diameter as well as serum concentrations of N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide, and high-sensitive C-reactive protein. Secondary endpoints included cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and hospitalization. RESULTS: After the 3-month study period, patients in the treatment group showed significantly improved left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (P=0.02), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (P=0.035), left ventricular ejection fraction (P=0.05), and left atrial diameter (P=0.02) values, and their serum N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (P=0.01) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (P=0.04) concentrations were significantly improved compared with the control group. During the 3 months, three cardiovascular complications occurred in the treatment group versus nine in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: For patients with coronary heart disease combined with OSAHS, noninvasive mechanical ventilation therapy can significantly improve heart functions and reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular complications.