Exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmias: analysis of predictive factors in a population with sleep disorders

• Published in: Einstein (São Paulo, Brazil) Brazil), 2010-03, Vol.8 (1), p.62-67
• Main Authors: Cintra, Fatima Dumas, Makdisse, Marcia Regina Pinho, Oliveira, Wercules Antônio Alves de, Rizzi, Camila Furtado, Luiz, Francisco Otávio de Oliveira, Tufik, Sergio, Paola, Angelo Amato Vincenzo de, Poyares, Dalva
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anoxia; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Arrhythmias, cardiac/epidemiology; Arrhythmias, cardiac/etiology; Causality; Echocardiography, stress; Exercise test; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Polysomnography; Sleep apnea syndromes; Sleep disorders; Sleep disorders/epidemiology
• ISSN: 1679-4508; 2317-6385; 1679-4508; 2317-6385
• DOI: 10.1590/s1679-45082010ao1469

To assess the prevalence of ventricular arrhythmias induced by exercise in a population with sleep disorders and to analyze the triggering factors. Patients were consecutively selected from the database of the Sleep Clinic of Universidade Federal de São Paulo. All subjects were submitted to basal polysomnography, blood sample collection, physical examination, 12-lead ECG, spirometry, cardiorespiratory exercise study on a treadmill, and echocardiogram. The Control Group was matched for age and gender. A total of 312 patients were analyzed. Exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmia was observed in 7%. The aortic diameter was larger (3.44 ± 0.30, 3.16 ± 0.36, p = 0.04) and the minimal saturation was lower (92.75 ± 3.05, 95.50 ± 1.73, p=0.01) in the ventricular arrhythmia group when compared to controls, respectively. After correction of the aortic root to body surface, there was only a trend to a larger diameter being associated with the emergence of arrhythmia. Exercise-induced ventricular arrhythmia was observed in 7% of sample and it was associated with lower oxygen saturation during exercise.