Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
Author Spotlight: Understanding Adolescent Social Adversity Effects on Neurodevelopment in Mice
Published on: March 15, 2024
Cutoffs of Short-Term Heart Rate Variability Parameters in Brazilian Adolescents Male
Breno Quintella Farah1, Diego Giulliano Destro Christofaro2, Bruno Remígio Cavalcante3
1Group Research in Health and Sport, ASCES College, Caruaru, Brazil.
Insights
Establishing heart rate variability (HRV) cutoffs in adolescent males is crucial for identifying cardiovascular risk. New HRV parameter cutoffs demonstrate moderate to high sensitivity in detecting risk factors, with frequency-domain measures being superior discriminators.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pediatric Health
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Low heart rate variability (HRV) is linked to cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents.
- Clinical application of HRV in this age group is hindered by the lack of established cutoff points.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish cutoff points for HRV parameters in Brazilian adolescent males.
- To investigate the association between these HRV cutoffs and cardiovascular risk factors.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study of 1152 adolescent males (mean age 16.6 years).
- Assessment of time-domain, frequency-domain (LF, HF), and Poincaré plot (SD1, SD2, SD1/SD2) HRV parameters.
- Cardiovascular risk evaluated by clustering of abdominal obesity, hypertension, overweight, and low physical activity.
Main Results:
- Proposed HRV cutoffs exhibited moderate to high sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve.
- HRV frequency-domain parameters were superior discriminators compared to time-domain and Poincaré plot parameters.
- All HRV cutoffs were independently associated with cardiovascular risk clustering; HF and SD1/SD2 ratio showed the greatest association (OR=3.59 for ≥2 risk factors).
Conclusions:
- Established HRV cutoffs demonstrate significant sensitivity in identifying cardiovascular risk in adolescent males.
- HRV frequency-domain parameters are more effective discriminators of cardiovascular risk than time-domain and Poincaré plot parameters in this population.
Abstract:
A low heart rate variability (HRV) has been associated with cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents. However, no cut-off points are known for HRV parameters in this age group, making it difficult to use in clinical practice. Thus, the aims of the current study were to establish cutoffs of HRV parameters and to examine their association with cardiovascular risk in Brazilian adolescents male. For this reason, this cross-sectional study included 1152 adolescent boys (16.6 ± 1.2 years old). HRV measures of time (SD of all RR intervals, root mean square of the squared differences between adjacent normal RR intervals, and the percentage of adjacent intervals over 50 ms), frequency domains [low (LF) and high (HF) frequency], and Poincaré plot (SD1, SD2 and SD1/SD2 ratio) were assessed. Cardiovascular risk was assessed by sum of abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, overweight, and low physical activity level. The proposed cutoffs showed moderate to high sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve values (p < 0.05). HRV frequency parameters were statistically superior when compared to time-domain and Poincaré plot parameters. The binary logistic regression analysis indicated that all proposed HRV cutoffs were independently associated with a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors, with greater magnitude of HF and SD1/SD2 ratio (two or more risk factors: OR = 3.59 and 95% CI 1.76-7.34). In conclusion, proposed HRV cutoffs have moderate to high sensitivity in detecting of the cardiovascular risk factor and HRV frequency-domain were better discriminants of cardiovascular risk than time-domain and Poincaré plot parameters.
Related Concept Videos
01:31Regulation of Heart Rates
The SNS increases heart rate through the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine, which act on beta-1 adrenergic receptors in the heart. This action increases the rate of depolarization in the sinoatrial (SA) node, the heart's...
01:30Factors Influencing Heart Rate
Let us explore the significant factors affecting heart rate, including age, body temperature, posture, acute pain, chemical influences,...
01:19Cardiac Output I:Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output
Cardiac output (CO) refers to the total amount of blood ejected by one of the ventricles in liters per minute (L/min). In a resting adult, CO ranges from 5 to 6 L/min, adjusting according to the body's metabolic requirements.
Effect of Heart Rate on Cardiac Output
Cardiac output adapts to metabolic demands during stress, physical activity, or illness. The autonomic nervous system regulates heart rate via the sinoatrial node. The parasympathetic nervous system decreases heart...
02:53Reaction Rate
The mathematical representation of the change in the concentration of reactants and products, over time, is the rate...
01:18Cognitive Development During Adolescence
02:55Temperature Dependence on Reaction Rate
Atoms, molecules, or ions must collide before they can react with each other. Atoms must be close together to form chemical bonds. This premise is the basis for a theory that explains many observations regarding chemical kinetics, including factors affecting reaction rates.
The collision theory is based on the postulates that (i) the reaction rate is proportional to the rate of reactant collisions, (ii) the reacting species collide in an orientation allowing contact between...