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Correlation between heart rate variability and severity of coronary atherosclerosis: Looking for non-invasive
Michal Kuzemczak1,2,3, Izabela Miechowicz4, Rafal Januszek5
1Division of Emergency Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan 60-806, Poland.
Insights
Traditional heart rate variability (HRV) indices do not correlate with ischemic heart disease (IHD) severity. Novel HRV parameters showed weak correlations, suggesting they may offer new insights into IHD assessment.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Heart rate variability (HRV) alterations are noted in ischemic heart disease (IHD), but findings on HRV indices and IHD severity are inconsistent.
- Mathematical models offer novel approaches for HRV analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate correlations between the angiographic severity of coronary atherosclerosis and a broad range of HRV indices in patients with stable IHD.
Main Methods:
- 139 patients with stable IHD undergoing coronary angiography were included.
- Angiographic severity was quantified using the Gensini score.
- Correlations between Gensini score and various HRV indices were analyzed.
Main Results:
- No significant correlations were found between the Gensini score and traditional HRV indices (time-domain and spectral).
- Specific novel HRV indices, including Van Geijn interbeat interval difference and de Hann sinus tachycardia index, showed weak correlations with the Gensini score.
Conclusions:
- Traditional HRV indices are not reliable indicators of angiographic IHD severity.
- Novel HRV parameters warrant further investigation for their potential role in assessing IHD severity in stable patients.
Background:
Although heart rate variability (HRV) has been shown to be altered among patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD), studies on relationships between HRV indices and angiographic severity of IHD give conflicting results. Additionally, a plethora of mathematical models have been established, offering a novel approach for analyzing HRV.
Aim:
To analyze correlations between angiographic severity of coronary atherosclerosis and a wide spectrum of HRV indices in patients with stable IHD.
Methods:
Total of 139 consecutive patients with stable IHD scheduled for coronary angiography were enrolled. Angiograms were scored using the method of Gensini. Five-minute electrocardiogram readings were analyzed. Correlations between the Gensini score and HRV indices were tested.
Results:
The study did not reveal statistically significant correlations between Gensini score and traditional HRV indices (standard deviation of NN intervals, root mean square of successive differences, spectral indices). The angiographic severity of coronary atherosclerosis assessed using the Gensini score was correlated with the following HRV indices: Van Geijn interbeat interval difference (r = -0.232; P < 0.05), de Hann sinus tachycardia index (r = -0.227; P < 0.05), Huey long-term variability (r = -0.167; P < 0.05), and Dalton mean absolute beat-to-beat (r = -0.169; P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Traditional time and frequency domain HRV indices do not correlate with angiographic severity of IHD. Several novel HRV parameters merit more attention as they weakly correlated with the Gensini score in stable IHD patients. Further research exploring relationships between angiographic severity of IHD and HRV indices is warranted.
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