Implications of Cheyne‐Stokes Breathing in Advanced Systolic Heart Failure

Background Cheyne‐Stokes breathing (CSB) has been associated with heart failure (HF) patients for many years; however, its true prevalence and its prognostic implications are still obscure. Hypothesis The goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence and the possible prognostic implications of nocturnal CSB in advanced heart failure patients. Methods We performed single night full polysomonography ambulatory sleep studies in 71 HF patients. We analyzed the patients' sleep studies, clinical and laboratory data, and 6 month mortality. Results A total of 71 chronic systolic HF patients were analyzed, 60 males, 11 females, age 65 ± 13 years. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 27% ± 11%. Short episodes of CSB (at least 3 min duration) were present in all patients, and mean CSB duration was 1 hour. CSB duration was associated significantly with both high serum levels of N‐terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) as well as with 6 month mortality. Log CSB time had a significant correlation with log NT‐proBNP (r = 0.5, P