Heart rate variability as important approach for assessment autonomic modulation

Alterations in the heart rate recovery and heart rate variability have been associated with greater risk of mortality and early prognosis of cardiac diseases. Thus, strategies for assessing autonomic nervous system and its modulation to the heart are crucial for preventing cardiovascular events in healthy subjects as well as in cardiac patients. In this review, an update of studies examining heart rate variability (HRV) and its use as indicator of cardiac autonomic modulation will be discussed. It will be described the indexes and methods of analysis and its applicability and the effects of exercise training on HRV and heart rate recovery in different population

Resposta cronotrópica ao teste anaeróbio máximo de corrida - MART / Chronotropic response to maximal anaerobic running test - MART

INTRODUÇÃO: A frequência cardíaca (FC) no teste anaeróbio máximo de corrida (MART) expressa o comportamento autonômico cardíaco em exercício. Ainda não foi investigado se tais respostas cronotrópicas apresentam associação com o desempenho aeróbio e anaeróbio. OBJETIVOS: Descrever a resposta cronotrópica cardíaca durante o MART nos segundos iniciais de estímulo (FC ON) e de recuperação (FC OFF) e estabelecer a associação entre as variáveis cronotrópicas com o desempenho aeróbio e anaeróbio. MÉTODOS: Foram voluntários 13 homens assintomáticos e fisicamente ativos, com 25,1 ± 4,9 anos, 76,8 ± 12,5 kg, 178,4 ± 9,0 cm e 50,6 ± 4,1 mL×kg‑1×min‑1. Na primeira visita, após a anamnese e medidas antropométricas, foi realizado um teste cardiopulmonar de exercício (TCPE) com monitoração direta dos gases expirados. Na segunda visita, foi feita uma familiarização ao MART e na terceira, o teste de MART conduzido até a exaustão. RESULTADOS: A FC de recuperação (58 ± 20 bpm) comparada à FC de pico alcançada no primeiro e no último estágio de MART (39 ± 14 bpm) apresentou maior inclinação, resultando em maior amplitude de variação ao longo do teste, caracterizando diferenças significativas (P = 0,0017). A FC ON apresentou entre o momento inicial, meio e final do MART diferenças significativas (inicial versus final, p = 0,007). Para FC OFF foram encontradas diferenças significativas do início com o meio (p = 0,035) e do início com o final (p = 0,005) do teste. As correlações entre as variáveis cronotrópicas e de desempenho não apresentaram significância estatística (P < 0,05), assim como com as variáveis de desempenho. CONCLUSÃO: O MART parece ser um modelo de sobrecargas fisiológicas adequado para investigação da modulação autonômica cardíaca. Observou-se atuação do sistema parassimpático mesmo em cargas supramáximas até o final do teste.

INTRODUCTION: Heart rate (HR) in maximal anaerobic running test (MART) expresses the cardiac autonomic behavior in exercise. It has not been investigated whether such responses are associated with chronotropic aerobic and anaerobic performance. OBJECTIVE: To describe the cardiac chronotropic response during the MART in seconds of stimulation (HR ON) and recovery (HR OFF), and establish the association between chronotropic variables with aerobic and anaerobic performance. METHODS: Thirteen male volunteers were asymptomatic and physically active, with 25.1 ± 4.9 years, 76.8 ± 12.5 kg, 178.4 cm and 50.6 ± 9.0 ± 4.1 mL×kg-1×min-1. On the first visit after the interview and anthropometric measurements, we performed a cardiopulmonary exercise testing (TCPE) with direct monitoring of expired gases. The second visit was carried to familiarize the MART and the third, the test was performed until exhaustion MART. RESULTS: Heart rate recovery (58 ± 20 bpm) compared to the peak HR achieved in the first and last stage of MART (39 ± 14 bpm) had a higher slope, resulting in greater range of variation over the test, characterizing differences (P = 0.0017). The HR ON presented between the time the initial, middle and end of the MART significant differences (start versus final, p = 0.007). To HR OFF significant differences were found starting with the middle (p = 0.035) and the starting to the final (p = 0.005) test. The chronotropic correlations between variables, including decrease in HR, and TCPE performance were not statistically significant (P < 0.05), as nor as the performance variables. CONCLUSION: The MART model seems to be a physiological overload suitable for investigation of cardiac autonomic modulation. There was action of the parasympathetic system even in supramaximal loads by the end of the test.

Autonomic correlates of Yo-Yo performance in soccer referees / Correlatos autonômicos do desempenho no Yo-Yo em árbitros de futebol

We tested the hypothesis that: basal cardiac autonomic modulation (i.e. heart rate variability, HRV) was associated with the parasympathetic withdrawal during, and overall Yo-Yo IR1 performance; and therefore HRV could be used as a simple tool for specific fitness assessment. Nine sub-elite soccer referees performed the Yo-Yo IR1 until exhaustion with simultaneous recording of heart rate with the autonomic response during exercise calculated as the area under the curve (AUC). In the same week but with at least 48 hrs between days, a night-time HR recording was obtained from participants for determination of basal HRV. Correlation analysis demonstrated strong (r>0.83) relationships among Yo-Yo IR1 performance, AUC and basal HRV. These results indicate that both nocturnal HRV and AUC can be utilised as simple and valid monitoring tools of soccer referees' fitness.

Nós testamos a hipótese de: que a modulação autonômica cardíaca (i.e. variabilidade da freqüência cardíaca, VFC) está associada com a retirada parassimpática durante a execução do Yo-Yo IR1; e que, portanto, a VFC poderia ser usada como uma ferramenta simples para a avaliação do desempenho físico específico. Nove árbitros sub-elite de futebol executaram o Yo-Yo IR1 até a exaustão com registro simultâneo da freqüência cardíaca e VFC para o cálculo da área sob a curva (ASC). Na mesma semana, mas com mínimo de 48 horas entre dias, obteve-se um registro noturno da FC dos participantes para a determinação da VFC basal. As análises de correlação demonstraram elevados coeficientes (r>0,83) entre o desempenho no Yo-Yo IR1, a ASC e a VFC basal. Estes resultados indicam que a VFC noturna e a ASC podem ser empregadas como ferramentas simples e válidas para o monitoramento do desempenho de árbitros de futebol.

The Effects of Abdominal Breathing of Autonomic Nervous Function in Women. The Relationship among Individual Differences in Autonomic Nervous System Activity in a Supine Position at Rest / 体力科学

We analyzed time-domain parameters (%RR50, CVRR, E/I ratio) and frequency-domain parameters (HF, LF, LF/HF, HF/SUM) from R-R interval variability to investigate the differences in autonomic nervous system activity and the effects of abdominal breathing in 20 healthy female subjects (age 48.4±5. 5 years) . The measurements were taken during spontaneous breathing in a supine position for 20 min and in a sitting position for 20 min, followed by voluntary control of abdominal breathing (expiration to inspiration time ratio was 2 to 1) for 20 min and recovery with spontaneous breathing in a sitting position for 30 min, 100 R-R intervals 16 times for 90 min and also heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiratory frequency (f) and arterial O<SUB>2</SUB> and CO<SUB>2</SUB> partial pressure through cutaneous (P<SUB>tc</SUB>O<SUB>2</SUB>, P<SUB>tc</SUB>CO<SUB>2</SUB>) . The subjects were grouped according to the mean values of three autonomic nervous system activity parameters (%RR50, CV<SUB>RR</SUB>, E/I ratio) in a supine position. Group 1 (G 1) was below average for all three parameters, group 3 (G 3) was above average and group 2 (G 2) was below or above average mixed for the three parameters. A strong correlation (P< 0.01, respectively) was observed between %RR50 and HF (0.15-0.4 Hz) during the following trials spontaneous breathing in a supine position (r=0.783) and sitting position (r=0.758), voluntary control of abdominal breathing (r=0.597), and recovery with spontaneous breathing in a sitting position (r=0.756) . With regard to the characteristics of each group, the following were observed: G1 showed an accelerated trend of sympathetic nervous system activity and the approximate mean value was indicated in measurements of respiratory-circulatory system activity (HR, f, BP) . G2 showed an unstable trend in which either sympathetic or parasymathetic nervous system activities were accelerated, blood pressure was higher and many respiratory frequencies were observed among the three groups. G 3 showed an accelerated trend in parasympathetic nervous system activity ; and both blood pressure and respiratory frequency were consistently low in the three groups. These results indicated that there were natural differences in each subject in autonomic nervous system activity and physiological function in a supine position at rest. It was found that voluntary control of abdominal breathing enhanced the vagal modulation of the heart rate in subjects who showed an accelerated trend of sympathetic nervous system activity.