Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a known risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF) that is principally driven by left atrial enlargement. The impact of hypoventilation caused by obesity-induced hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) on left atrial diameter has not been examined. We investigated the association between OHS and left atrial diameter in obese patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 210 consecutive medical records of patients diagnosed as obese (body mass index [BMI] >30 kg/m(2)) and as having OHS and OSA for the period January 2010 through December 2016 at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in Cleveland, OH. Logistic regression analysis was performed for left atrial diameter ≥4 cm in 2 groups of patients: those with OHS+OSA and those with OSA alone. RESULTS: A total of 104 obese patients with OHS+OSA and 106 obese patients with OSA alone were identified. Statistically significant differences were found in 6 demographic and baseline characteristics: median BMI, median left atrial diameter, history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, history of stroke, history of coronary artery disease, and history of congestive heart failure. The median left atrial diameter for the OHS+OSA and OSA alone groups was 4.45 cm and 4.20 cm, respectively (P = 0.014). Left ventricular ejection fraction <50% was found in 22% of the patients with OHS+OSA and in 21% of the patients with OSA alone (P = 0.777). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patients in the OHS+OSA group had 2 times higher odds (odds ratio 2.151, 95% confidence interval 1.016-4.550, P = 0.045) of exhibiting a larger left atrial diameter vs patients in the OSA alone group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that OHS may be an independent risk factor for left atrial enlargement and may possibly contribute to AF development irrespective of left ventricular function.