Home sleep apnea testing in patients with continuous flow LVAD: is it feasible?
Publication Title
J Clin Sleep Med
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-7-2025
Keywords
HSAT; LVAD; NOX-T3; sleep apnea; sleep-related breathing disorder; oregon; portland; psvmc
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES: The incidence of sleep-related breathing disorder (SRBD) remains unclear in patients with a continuous flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Polysomnography (PSG) remains the gold standard for diagnosis, but logistical challenges make home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) a more practical alternative. WatchPat has failed to accurately diagnose SRBD in this population. In contrast, the NOX-T3 utilizes more channels to monitor physiological variables potentially offering improved diagnostic accuracy. Therefore, we aimed to validate the NOX-T3 versus PSG in detecting SRBD in patients with a durable LVAD.
METHODS: This is a single-center, prospective, observational pilot study. Patients with LVAD who screened positive on the STOP-BANG questionnaire were referred to sleep clinic. Patients recommended for PSG by a sleep physician underwent PSG and NOX-T3 simultaneously. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) with the PSG and the respiratory event index (REI) using the NOX-T3 were compared as well as time spent with oxygen (O
RESULTS: Ten patients (8 males, 2 females) were enrolled. The average age was 54±15 years and 9 were implanted with a HeartMate3 device. There was a strong correlation between the AHI obtained from NOX T3 and PSG (R
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the NOX-T3 HSAT device is a useful tool in the comprehensive evaluation of SRBD in patients with LVAD.
Specialty/Research Institute
Sleep Medicine
DOI
10.5664/jcsm.11606
