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Autonomic Recovery Is Delayed in Chinese Compared with Caucasian following Treadmill Exercise
Peng Sun1,2, Huimin Yan2, Sushant M Ranadive2
1Key Laboratory of Adolescent Health Assessment and Exercise Intervention, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
Insights
Caucasian and Chinese individuals show different autonomic nervous system recovery after exercise. Chinese participants experienced delayed recovery, suggesting potential differences in cardiovascular health regulation between these groups.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Function
- Cardiovascular Health Disparities
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence differs between Caucasian and Chinese populations.
- Autonomic function is linked to CVD, but exercise recovery differences are unknown.
- This study examines autonomic recovery post-exercise in Caucasians versus Chinese.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in autonomic recovery after treadmill exercise between healthy Caucasian and Chinese adults.
- To compare heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) during recovery.
Main Methods:
- Sixty-two healthy participants (30 Caucasian, 32 Chinese) underwent treadmill exercise.
- HRV and BRS were measured at pre-exercise, 30-min, and 60-min post-exercise.
- HRV analyzed via frequency and time domains; BRS assessed using spontaneous sequences.
Main Results:
- No baseline differences in HR, HRV, or BRS between groups.
- Significant race-by-time interactions observed for multiple HRV and BRS parameters.
- Chinese participants showed blunted declines/increases in autonomic markers, indicating delayed recovery compared to Caucasians.
Conclusions:
- Chinese individuals exhibit delayed autonomic recovery following exercise compared to Caucasians.
- This delay may stem from greater sympathetic dominance and prolonged vagal withdrawal in Chinese.
- Findings highlight potential ethnic differences in autonomic regulation and cardiovascular risk.
Unlabelled:
Caucasian populations have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) when compared with their Chinese counterparts and CVD is associated with autonomic function. It is unknown whether autonomic function during exercise recovery differs between Caucasians and Chinese. The present study investigated autonomic recovery following an acute bout of treadmill exercise in healthy Caucasians and Chinese. Sixty-two participants (30 Caucasian and 32 Chinese, 50% male) performed an acute bout of treadmill exercise at 70% of heart rate reserve. Heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were obtained during 5-min epochs at pre-exercise, 30-min, and 60-min post-exercise. HRV was assessed using frequency [natural logarithm of high (LnHF) and low frequency (LnLF) powers, normalized high (nHF) and low frequency (nLF) powers, and LF/HF ratio] and time domains [Root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), natural logarithm of RMSSD (LnRMSSD) and R-R interval (RRI)]. Spontaneous BRS included both up-up and down-down sequences. At pre-exercise, no group differences were observed for any HR, HRV and BRS parameters. During exercise recovery, significant race-by-time interactions were observed for LnHF, nHF, nLF, LF/HF, LnRMSSD, RRI, HR, and BRS (up-up). The declines in LnHF, nHF, RMSSD, RRI and BRS (up-up) and the increases in LF/HF, nLF and HR were blunted in Chinese when compared to Caucasians from pre-exercise to 30-min to 60-min post-exercise. Chinese exhibited delayed autonomic recovery following an acute bout of treadmill exercise. This delayed autonomic recovery may result from greater sympathetic dominance and extended vagal withdrawal in Chinese.
Trial Registration:
Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR-IPR-15006684.
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