title: Cheyne-stokes breathing and reduced ejection fraction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The accuracy of Cheyne-Stokes breathing as a sign of left ventricular dysfunction and its overall prognostic significance are unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2001 and 2006, the author examined 386 inpatients at a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and compared the finding of Cheyne-Stokes breathing and its cycle length with the patients' echocardiographic ejection fraction (EF) and 5-year survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 45 of 386 patients (11.7%) had Cheyne-Stokes breathing. Two variables were independently associated with Cheyne-Stokes breathing: reduced EF (P<.001) and age>80 years (P=.006). The presence of Cheyne-Stokes breathing increased the probability of a markedly reduced EF (ie, EF<40%; likelihood ratio, 5.3; 95% confidence interval, 3.1-9), especially in patients aged≤80 years (likelihood ratio, 7.8; 95% confidence interval, 3.9-15.5). The finding was present in 1 of 3 affected patients (sensitivity=34%). The correlation between cycle length and EF was poor (r=0.23, P=.14). The 5-year survival of patients with Cheyne-Stokes breathing (37.2%) was similar to that of patients without the finding (42.9%, P=.18, log-rank test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In hospitalized patients, Cheyne-Stokes breathing increases the probability of left ventricular dysfunction. It is present in 1 of 3 patients with markedly reduced EF. When detected during physical examination, Cheyne-Stokes breathing does not indicate worse prognosis.
authors.affiliation: General Medical Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98108, USA. Steven.McGee@va.gov
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McGee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002639:Cheyne-Stokes Respiration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010808:Physical Examination; D011379:Prognosis; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000503:physiopathology*