Frequency of slow oscillations in arterial pressure and R-R intervals during muscle metaboreflex activation

Altered frequency of slow (0.04-0.15Hz) arterial pressure and R-R interval oscillations has been observed in various diseases but the mechanisms for this frequency shift are unclear. The median (Med) frequencies of slow R-R interval and blood pressure (BP) oscillations were recorded in 11 healthy subjects with paced breathing (0.25Hz) during muscle metaboreflex and baroreflex mediated sympathetic stimuli: 1) handgrip exercise (HG) followed by post-exercise circulatory occlusion (PECO), 2) handgrip exercise during ischemia by circulatory occlusion (IHG) and 3) passive head-up tilt (TILT). Med(BP) shifted to the higher frequency during HG, PECO and IHG (from 0.070+/-0.009Hz to 0.088+/-0.013, 0.085+/-0.015 and 0.099+/-0.013Hz, respectively, p<0.01 for all) but not during TILT (0.078+/-0.012Hz). Similarly, Med(R-R) shifted to the higher frequency during HG, PECO and IHG (from 0.072+/-0.009Hz to 0.085+/-0.014, 0.085+/-0.016 and 0.095+/-0.015Hz, respectively, p<0.01 for all) but not during TILT (0.075+/-0.012Hz). Med(BP) and Med(R-R) were higher during IHG compared to HG and lower during TILT compared to both HG and IHG (p<0.01 for all). We conclude that the sympathetic stimulus induced by muscle metaboreflex is an important mechanism increasing the frequency of slow oscillations in arterial pressure and R-R intervals. The present results give new insight to understand the physiology underlying the frequency of slow arterial pressure and R-R interval oscillations.