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Heart Rate Variability in Adolescents - Normative Data Stratified by Sex and Physical Activity
Vivek Kumar Sharma1, Senthil Kumar Subramanian2, Vinayathan Arunachalam3
1Additional Professor, Department of Physiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research , Puducherry, India .
Insights
Establishing normative heart rate variability (HRV) data in adolescents is crucial for early detection of autonomic dysfunction. This study provides sex- and physical activity-stratified HRV reference values for individuals aged 12-17 years.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Function
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects autonomic nervous system modulation of cardiac rhythm.
- Increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in younger populations necessitates early detection of autonomic dysfunction.
- Establishing normative HRV data in adolescents is essential for clinical application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normative data for heart rate variability (HRV) in adolescents aged 12-17 years.
- To stratify HRV normative data based on sex and physical activity levels.
- To aid in the early identification of cardiovascular autonomic derangement in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- Followed established Task Force guidelines for HRV measurement.
- Collected HRV data from adolescents aged 12-17 years.
- Stratified normative data by sex (girls/boys) and physical activity (athlete/non-athlete).
Main Results:
- Presented time-domain (SDNN, RMSSD, NN50) and frequency-domain (LF, HF, Total Power, LFnu, HFnu) HRV indices.
- Reported median and interquartile range for non-athlete girls, non-athlete boys, athlete girls, and athlete boys.
- Demonstrated significant differences in HRV indices influenced by sex and athletic status.
Conclusions:
- Provided sex- and physical activity-stratified normative HRV data for adolescents aged 12-17 years.
- This data serves as a reference for assessing autonomic function in this age group.
- Facilitates earlier detection and management of potential cardiovascular autonomic issues in adolescents.
Background:
Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the beat-to-beat fluctuations in the cardiac rhythm occurring due to modulation of the pacemaker (sinoatrial node) activity of the heart by the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system. Nowadays, cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors are increasingly occurring at a younger age (children and adolescents) and recording of HRV in them will help us to identify cardiovascular autonomic derangement earlier. However, to be used clinically, normative data has to be established in this age group considering other major factors that can influence HRV such as sex, physical activity, and BMI.
Materials And Methods:
Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology has provided the standards for measurement of heart rate variability and we have followed the same. In the present study, we have described the normative data for HRV in the adolescent in the age group of 12-17 years, stratified based on sex and physical activity.
Results:
Data given below are expressed as median with interquartile range (Median (IQR)) in the following order: non-athlete girls, non athlete boys, athlete girls and athlete boys. Time domain indices - SDNN - 66.35 (40.78), 63.20 (36.20), 113.00 (31.40) and 94.20 (35.55); RMSSD - 69.00 (50.55), 58.70 (43.40), 94.90 (42.10) and 100.30 (47.50); NN50 - 137.50 (100.25), 116.00 (90.50), 137.00 (81.00) and 156.00 (81.50). The frequency domain indices - LF power 1015.00 (1098.75), 945.00 (831.00), 1465 (642.25), and 1211.00 (811.37); HF power - 1324.00 (1707.00), 988.00 (1426.50), 2409.00 (1387.50), and 2219.00 (1752.00); Total power - 3374.50 (3094.25), 2757.00 (2641.00), 5202.00 (2501.50) and 5273.00 (3507.50); LFnu - 45.44 (16.61), 47.63 (29.98), 38.59 (11.81) and 37.10 (11.21); HFnu - 54.56 (16.61), 52.37 (29.98), 61.41 (11.81) and 62.90 (11.21).
Conclusion:
We have given sex and physical activity stratified HRV normative data for adolescents in the age between 12-17 years.
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