Autonomic cardiac regulation to slow-paced respiration in seated and supine positions

Respiratory modulation and positional control are the main two regulators of cardiac autonomic activity. Although both slow-paced breathing and supine position promote parasympathetic regulation, their interaction remains poorly documented. Here, the objective of this work is to study the interaction between these two autonomic controls.

Twenty healthy volunteers (12 males, 8 females), age of 25.9 ± 3.9 years were included in this study. They were randomly subjected to 6 different slow and controlled breathing at 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, and 7 min/cycles for 3 min in supine or seated position after a 3 min baseline recording in spontaneous breathing. ECG was continuously monitored and RR intervals (RRI), total power (Ptot), the standard deviation of normal R-R intervals (SDNN), high frequency power (HF), the root mean square of successive R-R interval differences (RMSSD), and low frequency power (LF) were calculated to study autonomic regulation.

We observed (1) a similar increase in parasympathetic (RMSSD and LF) and overall autonomic (RRI, Ptot, and SDNN) activities in slow-paced breathing conditions, whatever the respiratory rate in comparison with control spontaneous breathing; (2) these autonomic parameters increased in sitting position, but in parasympathetic (RMSSD and LF) and overall autonomic (Ptot, and SDNN) activities interacted with respiratory control and were higher in seated slow-paced breathing.

These results showed that (1) whatever the slow-paced breathing frequency, slow breathing favours parasympathetic control and slow heart rhythm; and (2) seated position favors autonomic cardiovascular interaction between respiratory modulation and positional control.