The massive international sleep-disorder study known as SERVE-HF, which is sponsored by ResMed, has completed enrollment. A total of 1,325 participants from 80 sites throughout Europe will help investigators learn if treatment of central sleep-disordered breathing (central sleep apnea) improves survival and outcomes of patients with stable heart failure.                                                                                 

Completing recruitment of SERVE-HF has been an important milestone in this landmark trial,” said co-principal investigator, Professor Martin Cowie of the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. “We owe much to the commitment and dedication of SERVE-HF investigators and to a strong collaboration between sleep specialists and cardiologists.”

SERVE-HF will, for the first time, provide conclusive evidence of the health impact of effectively treating heart failure patients who have central sleep-disordered breathing.

However, the aim of SERVE-HF also is to see if Adaptive Servo-Ventilation improves quality of life, sleep and physiologic changes associated with heart failure. What’s more, Cowie notes that a health economic analysis will be performed to evaluate the potential economic benefits of therapy.

“Given the prevalence of central sleep apnea in heart failure patients, particularly men, its treatment could be crucial to improving heart failure outcomes in the future,” added co-principal investigator, Professor Helmut Teschler, medical director at the Department of Pneumology, Ruhrland Clinic, Essen, Germany.

The trial, which began in 2008, is designed as an event-driven study. Its completion is anticipated by mid-2015 and results are expected to be available in the first half of 2016.