Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac rhythm disorder. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), is four times more common among patients with AF than without. OSA has been associated with a greater recurrence rate of AF after initially successful treatment of AF and treatment of OSA reduces recurrence of AF. To identify the underlying mechanisms, we aim to determine effects of OSA on atrial electrical activation and to characterize sleep apnea in AF patients in a more precise way.
While many cases of asthma are mild, severe cases require extensive health care resources and are virtually unresponsive to conventional treatment. This project will investigate whether specific compounds released from the airway are able to cause lung damage and airway abnormalities similar to that in severe asthma. We will investigate whether these changes are responsive to conventional therapy and investigate a potential treatment for regaining this responsiveness in severe asthma.