Quality of life in patients with congestive heart failure and central sleep apnea.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of Cheyne-Stoke respiration-central sleep apnea (CSR-CSA) on quality of life (QOL) in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). QOL was established using the MLHFQ (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire), and the FOSQ (Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire).


METHODS
We examined 90 patients with CHF. The diagnosis of CSR-CSA was performed by polysomnography. We established a correlation between the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and the MLHFQ and FOSQ scores.


RESULTS
Five patients were excluded (obstructive sleep apnea). Of the 85 remaining patients, 25 presented CSR-CSA. The mean MLHFQ score was higher in patients with CHF and CSR-CSA (25.8+/-2.97 vs. 16.6+/-2.05; p=0.01), and showed a significant yet moderate correlation with the AHI. A lower mean FOSQ score was obtained for the group of patients with CHF and CSR-CSA (78.4+/-4.31 vs. 88.47+/-2.4; p=0.03), showing weak negative correlation with the AHI.


CONCLUSIONS
According to the MLHFQ scores, it seems that CHF patients with CSR-CSA have a worse QOL than those with CHF alone. Although this could be attributable to a greater impairment of heart function in the former group, the FOSQ scores indicate some influence of their sleep disorder on the impairment of QOL.
Carmona-Bernal
Carmen
C
Respiratory Disease Medical-Surgery Unit, University Hospital Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, Spain. ccarmona@cica.es
Ruiz-García
Aránzazu
A
Villa-Gil
Manuel
M
Sánchez-Armengol
Angeles
A
Quintana-Gallego
Esther
E
Ortega-Ruiz
Francisco
F
Barón-Esquivias
Gonzalo
G
Capote
Francisco
F
D002639:Cheyne-Stokes Respiration / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D020182:Sleep Apnea, Central / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D012894:Sleep Stages; D013318:Stroke Volume; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires