Adaptation of autonomic heart rate regulation in astronauts after spaceflight

Spaceflight causes changes in the cardiovascular control system. The aim of this study was to evaluate postflight recovery of linear and nonlinear neural markers of heart rate modulation, with a special focus on day-night variations.

Twenty-four-hour Holter ECG recordings were obtained in 8 astronauts participating in space missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Data recording was performed 1 month before launch, and 5 and 30 days after return to Earth from short- and long-term flights. Cardiovascular control was inferred from linear and nonlinear heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, separately during 2-hour day and 2-hour night recordings.

No remarkable differences were found in the postflight recovery between astronauts from short- and long-duration spaceflights. Five days after return to Earth, vagal modulation was significantly decreased compared to the preflight condition (day: p=0.001; night: p=0.019), while the sympathovagal balance was strongly increased, but only at night (p=0.017). A few nonlinear parameters were reduced early postflight compared to preflight values, but these were not always statistically significant. No significant differences remained after 30 days of postflight recovery.

Our results show that 5 days after return from both short- and long-duration space missions, neural mechanisms of heart rate regulation are still disturbed. After 1 month, autonomic control of heart rate recovered almost completely.