Effect of moderate physical exercise on noninvasive cardiac autonomic tests in healthy volunteers

The Relationship between the Frontal QRS-T Angle on ECG and Physical Activity Level in Young Adults

BACKGROUND

The heart's electrical activity has been the subject of numerous research concerning various physiological parameters. The frontal QRS-T angle (FQRST) is an advanced ECG variable with clinical epidemiological utility. This study aimed to determine the relationship between FQRST and physical activity exposure among young adults.

METHODS

We recorded the ECG with 12 leads of 124 participants (mean age 20.28 ± 2.23 years, age range 18-27 years). Next, we measured their physical activity level (PAL) with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ), which categorizes activity into three classes: low, moderate, or high.

RESULTS

An inferential analysis, based on the Kruskal-Wallis H test and Mann-Whitney U test, revealed a statistically significant difference in FQRST between the three groups of subjects, classified by their PAL (p < 0.001). We also identified a significant regression model between the body mass index (BMI) and the FQRST (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The physical activity regime of young adults significantly influences the concordance between ventricular depolarization and repolarization, reflected in the FQRST's width. Also, we found a regression model between FQRST and BMI with statistical significance.

Intra-subject stability of different expressions of spatial QRS-T angle and their relationship to heart rate

Three-dimensional angle between the QRS complex and T wave vectors is a known powerful cardiovascular risk predictor. Nevertheless, several physiological properties of the angle are unknown or poorly understood. These include, among others, intra-subject profiles and stability of the angle relationship to heart rate, characteristics of angle/heart-rate hysteresis, and the changes of these characteristics with different modes of QRS-T angle calculation. These characteristics were investigated in long-term 12-lead Holter recordings of 523 healthy volunteers (259 females). Three different algorithmic methods for the angle computation were based on maximal vector magnitude of QRS and T wave loops, areas under the QRS complex and T wave curvatures in orthogonal leads, and weighted integration of all QRS and T wave vectors moving around the respective 3-dimensional loops. These methods were applied to orthogonal leads derived either by a uniform conversion matrix or by singular value decomposition (SVD) of the original 12-lead ECG, giving 6 possible ways of expressing the angle. Heart rate hysteresis was assessed using the exponential decay models. All these methods were used to measure the angle in 659,313 representative waveforms of individual 10-s ECG samples and in 7,350,733 individual beats contained in the same 10-s samples. With all measurement methods, the measured angles fitted second-degree polynomial regressions to the underlying heart rate. Independent of the measurement method, the angles were found significantly narrower in females (p &lt; 0.00001) with the differences to males between 10o and 20o, suggesting that in future risk-assessment studies, different angle dichotomies are needed for both sexes. The integrative method combined with SVD leads showed the highest intra-subject reproducibility (p &lt; 0.00001). No reproducible delay between heart rate changes and QRS-T angle changes was found. This was interpreted as a suggestion that the measurement of QRS-T angle might offer direct assessment of cardiac autonomic responsiveness at the ventricular level.

Análise dos Índices Espectrais da Variabilidade da Frequência Cardíaca Durante a Mudança Postural de Idosos Hipertensos

ResumoO estudo da Variabilidade da Frequência Cardíaca (VFC) tem permitido, de forma não invasiva, avaliar o Sistema Nervoso autônomo e o risco cardíaco, sendo um importante indicador prognóstico de doenças cardíacas e sistêmicas. O objetivo foi avaliar e comparar a VFC no domínio da frequência e do tempo de idosos com hipertensão arterial e de idosos saudáveis frente à mudança postural de repouso para sentado. Foram estudados 18 indivíduos hipertensos e 18 indivíduos saudáveis na faixa etária de 60 a 85 anos. A frequência cardíaca e os intervalos R-R foram coletados pelo instrumento Polar S810i durante 1200 s nas posturas supina e sentada. A VFC foi analisada no domínio do tempo - DT pelas variáveis: Índice raiz quadrada da média dos quadrados das diferenças entre intervalos R-R (iR-R) sucessivos (RMSSD), desvio padrão da média dos iR-R normais em ms - SDNN e PNN50%, que traduz a diferença de duração superior a 50 milissegundos, e no domínio da frequência, pelas bandas de alta (AF) e baixa frequência (BF), e da razão BF/AF. Ocorreu alteração na VFC dos idosos tanto no grupo controle e hipertenso, no entanto não houve mudanças significativas na VFC entre os grupos estudados. Ao analisar a VFC no domínio do tempo, o estudo mostrou que a amostragem estudada apresenta alto risco cardíaco ao analisar o parâmetro SDNN. Conclui-se que a mudança postural alterou a VFC desses idosos, tanto no grupo controle e hipertenso, no entanto não houve mudanças significativas na VFC entre as fases dos grupos estudados e obteve-se como resultado alto risco cardíaco ao avaliar o parâmetro SDNN em ambos os grupos.Palavras-chave: Hipertensão. Idoso. Frequência Cardíaca.AbstractThe study of heart rate variability (HRV) allows noninvasive way to evaluate the autonomic nervous system and cardiac risk, and an important prognostic indicator of heart and systemic diseases disease. The objective was to evaluate and compare the HRV in the frequency and duration of elderly patients with hypertension and healthy elderly versus postural change in the condition of rest. The study comprised 18 hypertensive individuals and 18 healthy subjects aged 60 to 85 years, both sexes. Heart rate and RR intervals were collected by the instrument Polar S810i during 1200 s in supine and sitting postures. HRV was analyzed in time domain indices SDNN, RMSSD and PNN50% and the frequency domain, by bands of high (AF) and low frequency (LF), and the ratio LF / HF. Intergroup intra-analyes were used as well as the tests of normality D’Augustine as a criterion for parametric groups. There was change in heart rate variability of both the elderly and hypertensive patients in the control group, however there were no significant changes in studied HRV intergroups . In the area of the time it was found that the sampling shows high-risk cardiac parsing the parameter SDNN. The results showed that the change posture changed the variability of heart rate in the control group and hypertension, however there were no significant changes in HRV among the phases of the groups and a high risk was obtained as a result of the parameter SDNN for both heart the groups.Keywords: Hypertension. Aged. Heart Rate.

Caracterização da variabilidade de freqüência cardíaca e sensibilidade do barorreflexo em indivíduos sedentários e atletas do sexo masculino

INTRODUÇÃO: A capacidade de variar a freqüência cardíaca representa importante papel fisiológico na vida diária. As variações dos intervalos RR estão na dependência de moduladores biológicos, como o sistema nervoso autônomo. Essas variações constituem a variabilidade da freqüência cardíaca (VFC). MÉTODOS: 10 indivíduos atletas (Atl) e 10 sedentários (Sed) (20-35 anos) foram submetidos a eletrocardiografia digital, em repouso, antes, durante e após a manobra. Os valores de RR foram tratados (software Matlab 6.1), no domínio do tempo. RESULTADOS: Os grupos Sed e Atl apresentaram freqüência cardíaca média igual a 73,59bpm ± 2,5 e 51,01bpm ± 2,4, respectivamente. Quanto aos intervalos RR, o grupo de Sed apresentou média de 826,58ms ± 5,3 e o grupo Atl, 1.189,18 ± 6,9. O tempo de retorno simpático após a manobra 72 ± 12s (Sed) 37 ± 6s (Atl). O tempo de retorno parassimpático foi de 80 ± 11s (Sed) 40 ± 8s (Atl). O pNN50 foi de 10 ± 3,3 (Sed) e 42,10 ± 6,9 (Atl). O valor da variação dos RR acima da média de todo o sinal foi de 343 ± 40ms (Sed) e 175 ± 39ms (Atl). A variação abaixo da média de todo o sinal foi de 281 ± 27ms (Sed) e 425 ± 26ms (Atl). CONCLUSÕES: A análise da VFC associada à manobra de Valsalva pode representar uma ferramenta simples, mas importante, para possíveis inferências sobre aptidão física.

Reliability of heart rate variability in healthy older women at rest and during orthostatic testing

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In the older population, the reliability of heart rate variability (HRV) has only been evaluated in a few studies, in the supine position, and covering a broad sample of age and patients of both sexes. To document the relevance of using HRV analysis in healthy older women, the aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of HRV indexes during three classical tests.

METHODS

33 healthy women (66.9+/-0.7 years old) performed two test sessions. Each session consisted of an ECG recorded in the supine position, first with free breathing (Test 1), then with controlled breathing (Test 2), and in the upright position (Test 3). Time and frequency HRV indexes were obtained by processing the ECG signals. Reliability was assessed between sessions using Student's paired t-test, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV).

RESULTS

There were no differences between the sessions. ICC showed good reliability for all HRV indexes. CV was low for absolute HRV indexes, except in Test 3 for parasympathetic indexes with modest CV. The CV of HRV ratio indexes were modest to high in all three tests.

CONCLUSIONS

Time and absolute frequency HRV indexes are reliable when testing healthy older women. Our results support the use of such indexes in gerontology research, to assess the effects of clinical or pharmacological interventions on the autonomic nervous system.

The Valsalva manoeuvre--cardiovascular effects and performance technique: a critical review

Variations in the technique of the Valsalva manoeuvre (VM) have been shown to greatly influence the pattern of cardiovascular response (CVR) to the test. Intra-strain tachycardia, post-strain bradycardia, Valsalva ratio, and baroreflex sensitivity decrease in proportion to an increase in lung volume and a decrease in strain pressure at VM. In conditions of completely expanded lungs and low strain pressure many subjects reveal an intra-strain bradycardic response to VM instead of the usual tachycardic one. Intra-strain arterial hypotension and post-strain hypertension decrease with decrease in strain pressure. The changes in heart rate and blood pressure during an expiratory VM are greater than the responses observed during completition of an inspiratory VM. The rate of the deep inspiration prior to strain has an impact particularly on phase I of the VM. The magnitude of the CVR correlates with the strain duration, particularly at high levels of strain pressure, and depends on the baseline level of the cardiovascular parameters and their variations. The paper discusses the possible mechanisms of different CVRs to variations in the technique of the VM. Some practical recommendations are suggested.

Does the level of chronic physical activity alter heart rate variability in healthy older women?

In the present study, we investigated the effects of three levels of chronic physical activity on HRV (heart rate variability) in healthy older women. ECG recordings were taken in three (low-, moderate- and high-) activity groups in supine position with free and with controlled breathing, and during orthostatic stress. Temporal and spectral HRV indices were obtained from the ECG signal processing. The main results showed that, in supine position with free and controlled breathing, the HF (high-frequency) spectral component (P<0.01) and the rMSSD (square root of the mean squared differences) between two adjacent RR intervals (P<0.05 and P<0.01 respectively) were elevated in the high-activity group compared with the low-activity group. No significant difference was observed between groups during the orthostatic test. Within groups, in the supine position, the change from free to controlled breathing produced a decrease in the LF (low-frequency) spectral component in all three groups (P<0.01). The change from supine to standing position produced a decrease in RR in all three groups (P<0.05 in low- and moderate-activity groups, and P<0.01 in high-activity group); the rMSSD and the HF spectral component decreased only in the high-activity group (P<0.01). In conclusion, this study performed on older women showed that parasympathetic indices of resting HRV were significantly elevated in a high physical activity group compared with in a low physical activity group. Furthermore, parasympathetic indices of HRV decreased during an orthostatic test only in the high-activity group. The influence of chronic moderate physical activity on HRV in older women was small in the present study.

Mortality, cardiac vagal control and physical training--what's the link?

There is little doubt that regular exercise results in increases in life expectancy and protects against adverse cardiac events in both healthy subjects and patients with cardiovascular disease. The mechanism of action of physical training remains unclear but a variety of evidence points towards an enhancement in cardiac vagal activity protecting against lethal arrhythmias. Just how physical training increases cardiac vagal activity is an area that is ill understood but plausible mechanisms include mediation via angiotensin II or NO. Further research is needed in this area. Exercise training is demanding and difficult, particularly for patients with cardiac disease. If the mechanism of increase in cardiac vagal activity with training can be determined it may be possible to use pharmacological approaches to mimic the effects of exercise with potentially beneficial effects.