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Heart rate variability in patients with cardiac hypertrophy--relation to left ventricular mass and etiology

Peter Alter1, Wolfram Grimm, Anna Vollrath

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine-Cardiology, Philipps University of Marburg, D-35033 Marburg, Germany. palter@med.uni-marburg.de

American Heart Journal
|March 30, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Cardiac hypertrophy, regardless of cause, is linked to reduced heart rate variability (HRV). Both patient age and the severity of left ventricular hypertrophy independently predict this decrease in HRV.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Autonomic Nervous System Research
  • Medical Diagnostics

Background:

  • Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) indicates autonomic nervous system disturbances and is linked to increased cardiovascular mortality.
  • Previous research primarily focused on HRV in systolic dysfunction; data on diastolic dysfunction with cardiac hypertrophy is limited.
  • Cardiac hypertrophy, a thickening of the heart muscle, can arise from various conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with cardiac hypertrophy of diverse etiologies.
  • To compare HRV in patients with specific causes of hypertrophy (aortic valve stenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hypertensive heart disease) against healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • Time domain analysis of HRV was conducted using 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram recordings.
  • Eighty-six patients with cardiac hypertrophy and sinus rhythm were analyzed, categorized by etiology.
  • Comparisons were made against 91 healthy control subjects.

Main Results:

  • Patients with aortic valve stenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and hypertensive heart disease exhibited significantly reduced HRV (SDNN) compared to controls.
  • The degree of cardiac hypertrophy, assessed by echocardiography, and patient age were identified as independent predictors of decreased HRV.
  • These associations were consistent across different causes of cardiac hypertrophy.

Conclusions:

  • Cardiac hypertrophy from various causes is associated with diminished HRV, detectable via 24-hour Holter monitoring.
  • Increased patient age and the extent of left ventricular hypertrophy are independently linked to reduced HRV.
  • Further research is needed to determine the clinical significance of these HRV alterations in cardiac hypertrophy.
Abstract

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