Autonomic and cardio-respiratory responses to exercise in Brugada Syndrome patients

Imbalances of the autonomic nervous (ANS), the cardiovascular system, and ionics might contribute to the manifestation of The Brugada Syndrome (BrS). Thus, this study has aimed to investigate the cardio-respiratory fitness and the responses of the ANS both at rest and during a sub-maximal exercise stress test, in BrS patients and in gender-matched and age-matched healthy sedentary controls.

Eleven BrS patients and 23 healthy controls were recruited in Khon Kaen, Thailand. They performed an exercise test on a cycle ergometer, and during the exercise, expired gas samples and electrocardiograms were collected. Blood glucose and electrolyte concentrations were analyzed before and after exercise. Then the heart rate variability (HRV) and the heart rate recovery (HRR) were analyzed from the electrocardiograms.

The BrS patients showed a higher parasympathetic activation during exercise recovery than baseline. They had a smaller level of sympathetic activation during the period of exercise recovery than the controls did. They also showed a significantly lower peak HR, HRR, and peak oxygen consumption than the controls (p<0.05). All subjects had a significantly lower percentage of peak oxygen consumption and respiratory exchange ratio during low-intensity (p<0.01) and moderate-intensity (p<0.05) exercise than during high-intensity exercise. The BrS patients had mild hyperkalemia which is reduced according to the exercise.

Thai BrS patients had a more rapid rate of restoration of the parasympathetic and smaller level of sympathetic activation after exercise. They had mild hyperkalemia which is reduced according to the exercise. Furthermore, they exhibited impaired cardio-respiratory fitness.