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[Circadian rhythmicity of heart rates in centenarians]
K Shimizu1, N Hirose, H Hasegawa
1Shoko-Chukin Bank Health Care Center.
Insights
The circadian heart rate rhythm in centenarians shows a weaker 24-hour cycle and more irregular patterns compared to younger adults. Aging significantly alters heart rate variability and circadian rhythmicity.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Chronobiology
- Gerontology
Context:
- The circadian rhythm of heart rate is crucial for cardiovascular health.
- Understanding age-related changes in heart rate patterns is essential for gerontology.
- Centenarians represent a unique population for studying extreme longevity and associated physiological adaptations.
Purpose:
- To investigate the circadian rhythm of heart rate in centenarians using Holter electrocardiography.
- To compare heart rate rhythm patterns between centenarians and a younger control group.
- To identify distinct patterns of heart rate variability associated with advanced age.
Summary:
- Holter electrocardiography data from 50 centenarians and 50 younger controls were analyzed using harmonic analysis and k-means clustering.
- Centenarians exhibited a significantly lower power in the 24-hour period (32.7%) compared to controls (45.8%).
- While 12-hour period powers were similar, the 8-hour period power was slightly higher in centenarians (7.0%) versus controls (4.2%), with more frequent acrophasal shifts.
Impact:
- The study reveals significant alterations in the circadian heart rate rhythm with aging, characterized by a diminished 24-hour periodicity.
- Specific heart rate rhythm patterns, such as '8-h period augmented' and 'low curve-fitting', were more prevalent in centenarians, suggesting unique adaptations.
- These findings contribute to understanding the physiological changes accompanying extreme longevity and aging, with implications for cardiovascular health in the elderly.
Abstract:
Holter electrocardiography was used to study the circadian rhythm of heart rate in 50 centenarians living in Tokyo and in Aichi prefecture. As a control group, 50 healthy subjects aged under 65 years old underwent medical check-ups including Holter electrocardiography at Keio Health Consulting Center. Harmonic analysis was used to approximate the 24-h time-series data on the RR intervals to a summation of three cosine waves with 24-h, 12-h and 8-h periods. The power of each period was adjusted for the goodness of the curve-fit, and the powers of the centenarians were compared with those of the controls. Then all the subjects were classified by k-means cluster analysis into k groups based on the power of the period, and patterns of heart rate rhythms were then identified. The power of the 24-h period in centenarians (32.7 +/- 16.0%) was significantly lower than that in controls (45.8 +/- 17.8%). Although there were no significant differences in the powers of the 12-h and 8-h periods, the power of the 8-h period in centenarians (7.0 +/- 8.4%) was slightly higher than that in controls (4.2 +/- 3.3%). Advances or delays in acrophase (acrophasal shift) were more common in centenarians than in controls. Five patterns of heart rate rhythms were identified: 24-h period dominant (n = 58). 24-h + 12-h period (n = 15), 12-h period dominant (n = 7), 8-h period augmented (n = 7), and low curve-fitting (n = 13). Both the 8-h period augmented pattern and the low curve-fitting pattern were more common in centenarians than in controls. Both the 24-h period dominant pattern and the 24-h + 12-h period pattern were less common in centenarians than in controls. These data indicate that the circadian rhythm of heart rate changes with aging.