Comparison of assessment methods of cardiac vagal modulation

• Published in: Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia 2011-12, Vol.97 (6), p.493-501
• Main Authors: Paiva, Vagner Clayton de, Santana, Kelen Rabelo, Silva, Bruno Moreira, Ramos, Plínio Santos, Lovisi, Júlio César Moraes, Araújo, Claudio Gil Soares de, Ricardo, Djalma Rabelo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arrhythmia, Sinus - physiopathology; Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - diagnosis; Coronary Disease - physiopathology; Epidemiologic Methods; Exercise Test - methods; Heart Rate - physiology; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Respiration; Vagus Nerve - physiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1678-4170
• DOI: 10.1590/S0066-782X2011005000109

Several methods have been used to assess cardiac vagal modulation, but there are gaps regarding the association and accuracy of these methods. To investigate the association between three valid, reproducible and commonly methods used to assess cardiac vagal modulation and compare their accuracies. Thirty healthy men (23 ± 4 years) and 15 men with coronary artery disease (61 ± 10 years) were evaluated in counterbalanced design by Heart Rate Variability (HRV; variables: the time domain = pNN50, SDNN and RMSSD, the frequency domain HF = ms² and HF n.u.), Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) and 4-second Exercise Test (T4s). Thirty healthy men (23 ± 4 years) and 15 men with coronary artery disease (61 ± 10 years) were evaluated in counterbalanced order by Heart Rate Variability (HRV; variables: the time domain = pNN50, SDNN and RMSSD, the frequency domain HF = ms² and HF n.u.), Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) and 4-second Exercise Test (T4s). Healthy subjects had higher vagal modulation by the three methods (p