Assessment of gender differences in autonomic nervous control of the cardiovascular system

To determine the differences in the control of the cardiovascular system by the autonomic nervous system between young males and females..

The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan, from June 2017 to April 2018, and comprised physically healthy medical students of both genders studying in first and second year of their academic studies. The subjects were made to perform the hand grip test and the Valsalva manoeuvre. Their electrocardiogram was recorded during and after the Valsalva manoeuvre. Blood pressure and heart rate were monitored before, during and after both the manoeuvres. Parasympathetic activity was assessed by calculating the Valsalva ratio. Sympathetic activity was measured by observing the increase in diastolic blood pressure during hand grip manoeuvre, and decrease in systolic blood pressure during the Valsalva manoeuvre. Data was analysed using SPSS 20.

Of the 140 subjects, 70(50%) each were males and females. There was no significant difference between the parasympathetic system and sympathetic system working of the two genders (p>0.05). There was significant difference between the two groups in sympathetic system when checked on the basis of the hand grip test (p<0.05).

Sympathetic system was found to be acting more efficiently in young males compared to their female counterparts.