Objective: To investigate the effects of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) upon cardiac structure and function of patients.
Methods: According to apnea hypopnea index, 75 OSAHS patients were divided into three groups: mild (n = 25), moderate (n = 25) and serious (n = 25); according to the course of disease, < 5 years (n = 22), 5-10 years (n = 26) and > 10 years (n = 27). The control group included 25 healthy adults. All subjects received polysomnogram and echocardiography. The following parameters were recorded: aortic dimension, pulmonary artery inner diameter, chambers heart size, interventricular septal thickness, anterior wall thickness and movement extent of end-diastole right ventricle, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), shortening fraction (FS) and E/A ratio, etc.
Results: Pulmonary artery inner diameter of mild, moderate, serious and control groups were (21.4 +/- 2.5), (24.7 +/- 2.0), (26.7 +/- 2.1), (21.2 +/- 2.7) mm, right ventricle internal diameter (19.0 +/- 1.8), (22.0 +/- 2.1), (23.9 +/- 2.1), (18.9 +/- 1.8) mm, and anterior wall thickness of right ventricle (4.7 +/- 1.2), (6.5 +/- 1.3), (7.5 +/- 1.4), (4.1 +/- 1.0) mm. The moderate and serious groups were all higher than control and mild groups obviously (P < 0.01). The serious group was higher than the moderate group (P < 0.01). LVEF of four groups: (63.1 +/- 8.1)%, (60.0 +/- 10.2)%, (54.5 +/- 9.1)%, (63.6 +/- 7.7)%, FS: (38.1 +/- 4.3)%, (37.0 +/- 6.4)%, (33.6 +/- 5.4)%, (39.5 +/- 4.9)%, and E/A: (1.13 +/- 0.13), (0.96 +/- 0.16), (0.85 +/- 0.12), (1.28 +/- 0.15). LVEF and FS of the serious group were lower than those of the control, mild and moderate groups (P < 0.05). E/A ratio of the mild, moderate and serious groups were lower than the control group (P < 0.01). The interclass comparison of mild, moderate and serious groups had significant differences (P < 0.01). Right ventricle internal diameter, pulmonary artery inner diameter, anterior wall thickness of right ventricle of > 10 years group were higher than 5-10 years group obviously (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The 5-10 years group was higher than the < 5 years and control groups obviously (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). LVEF, FS, and E/A ratio of > 10 years group were lower than 5-10 years, < 5 years and control groups obviously (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).
Conclusion: OSAHS causes structural and functional cardiac changes worsening with disease aggravation and course extension.