Change in heart rate dynamics after aerobic training detected by approximate entropy and its association with...

Findings from the 1973 Skylab mission and early studies led to the conclusion that high level of aerobic capacity might be detrimental to the orthostatic tolerance of returning astronauts. Numerous studies have addressed the problem with conflicting results, further work is needed to establish the relationship between aerobic capacity and orthostasis. During the last two decades, the technique for heart rate variability (HRV) signal analysis developed and have provided a non-invasive probe to examine quantitatively changes in cardiac autonomic balance. In the past, spectral analysis has been used in these studies. During the early 90's, a new mathematical approach and formula termed approximate entropy(ApEn) has been introduced as quantification of regularity and complexity. More recently, ApEn has been used to quantitate the loss of normal nonlinear heart rate variability in a variety of pathological conditions, aging, as well as bed rest deconditioning. The present study was undertaken to assess the effect aerobic training on orthostatic tolerance and HRV analyzed by both conventional AR spectral and ApEn analysis.