Assessment of Autonomic Nervous Function in Young Adults by Power Spectral Analysis of Heart Rate Variability

ABSTRACT

The powers of the low-frequency(LF) and high-frequency(HF) components characterizing heart rate variability (HRV) appear to reflect, in their reciprocal relationship, changes in the state of the sympatho-vagal balance occurring during orthostatic stress with head-up tilt. We studied 24 healthy volunteers (median age, 23.1 years) who were subjected after a rest period to a series of passive head-up tilt steps chosen from the following angles 0 degree. 15 degrees, 30degrees, 45degrees, 70degrees, and 90degrees under the condition of frequency controlled respiration(0.25Hz) in order to get data of the Korean young adults. During head-up tilt, heart rate and normalized low frequency power(LF(N 0.05-0.15 Hz) of HRV showed significant increase(p=0.000), but normalized high frequency power(HFN 0.2-0.3 Hz) and total power showed progressive decrease(p=0.000, p<0.01 respectively). Male showed significantly higher LF(N and lower HFN than female at tilt table angle 0degree(p<0.01). Power spectral analysis of HRV appears to be capable of providing a noninvasive quantitatibve evaluation of graded changes in the state of the sympatho-vagal balance.