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Volume of carotid bodies and cardiac autonomic function in patients with essential hypertension

Przemysław Jaźwiec1, Paweł Gać1, Marta Jurdziak2

  • 1Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, 4th Military Hospital, Weigla 5, Wroclaw PL 50-981, Poland.

Autonomic Neuroscience : Basic & Clinical
|March 31, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Larger carotid body volume in essential hypertension patients is linked to reduced heart rate variability, indicating impaired autonomic cardiac function. This suggests carotid body size may influence cardiovascular health in hypertensive individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Hypertension Research
  • Autonomic Nervous System Studies

Background:

  • Essential hypertension (EH) is a common condition affecting cardiovascular health.
  • Autonomic cardiac function plays a crucial role in regulating heart rate and blood pressure.
  • Carotid bodies (CB) are small structures with potential roles in cardiovascular regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between estimated carotid body volume (VrCB+lCB) and autonomic cardiac function in patients with EH.
  • To determine if carotid body size is associated with heart rate variability (HRV) in hypertensive individuals.

Main Methods:

  • Sixty-nine pharmacologically treated EH patients were included.
  • Carotid body volume was estimated using computed tomography angiography (CTA) measurements.
  • Cardiac autonomic function was assessed via time-domain analysis of heart rate variability (HRV).

Main Results:

  • Patients with higher VrCB+lCB (≥ median) exhibited significantly lower HRV parameters (SDNNi, rMSSD, pNN50) compared to those with lower VrCB+lCB (< median).
  • Higher VrCB+lCB was identified as an independent risk factor for reduced HRV, specifically a decrease in rMSSD.
  • Reduced SDNN during daily activity was also observed in patients with larger carotid bodies.

Conclusions:

  • A probable relationship exists between carotid body volume, measured by CTA, and autonomic cardiac function in patients with essential hypertension.
  • Carotid body size may serve as a potential indicator or contributor to autonomic dysfunction in EH.
Abstract

Keywords:
Autonomic cardiac functionComputed tomography angiographyEssential hypertensionHeart rate variabilityVolume of the carotid bodies

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