Baroreceptor sensitivity after Valsalva maneuver in women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

• Published in: Clinical autonomic research 2012-08, Vol.22 (4), p.185-189
• Main Authors: Bartels, Matthew N., Gates, G. J., Downey, J. A., Armstrong, H. F., De Meersman, R. E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Autonomic Nervous System - physiology; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - physiopathology; Baroreceptors; Blood pressure; Cardiology; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Comorbidity; Diabetes; Endocrinology; Female; Gastroenterology; Heart diseases; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neurology; Ophthalmology; Pressoreceptors - physiology; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - physiopathology; Research Article; Valsalva Maneuver - physiology
• ISSN: 0959-9851; 1619-1560
• DOI: 10.1007/s10286-012-0161-y

Purpose Reduced baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) results in changes in autonomic modulation. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have altered BRS. Therefore, we compared BRS between COPD patients and normal controls. Methods We compared 14 COPD patients [mean (±SD) age, 62 ± 8 years] to 14 healthy controls [mean (±SD) age, 59 ± 6 years] for the loss of BRS. All patients received β 2 -agonist therapy but were free from any other type of medication that would interfere with autonomic responses, all controls were free from cardiopulmonary disease, and none was taking medications. All participants were female, post-menopausal, had no known cardiac disease and were ex-smokers. Reduced baroreceptor sensitivity was determined using the slope of the magnitude of R–R widening over the increase in systolic blood pressure following Valsalva maneuver. Results The mean BRS in controls versus COPD patients showed a mean value of 6.15 ± 2.26 versus 1.91 ± 2.92 ms/mmHg ( p