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In patients with chronic heart failure, sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a common co-morbidity worsening prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether assessment of specific symptoms can elucidate presence of SDB in these patients.

A prospective questionnaire scoring investigation on possible symptoms of sleep apnoea (nocturia, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, snoring, nocturnal sweating, witnessed apnoea’s, nap) was conducted in 1,506 consecutive patients with stable chronic heart failure (LVEF ≤45%, NYHA ≥2). Afterwards, polysomnography or polygraphy, capillary blood gas analysis, echocardiography, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing were performed.

Adjusted for all significant covariates, snoring (p < 0.01) was the only symptom independently associated …