Impaired heart rate variability in euthymic bipolar patients.
BACKGROUND
Power spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) has recently been shown to be a reliable non-invasive test for quantitative assessment of the central sympathovagal interaction that modulates cardiovascular autonomic function.


METHODS
We studied 39 euthymic bipolar patients and 39 controls, matched for age and sex. A high-resolution electrocardiogram was obtained during complete rest. Spectral analysis of R-R intervals was performed by the fast Fourier transform algorithm.


RESULTS
Euthymic bipolar patients at rest are characterized by markedly low HRV, independent of specific drug treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
While these results of autonomic stability in euthymic bipolar patients are counter-intuitive, the findings may be important in understanding pathophysiology of bipolar affective illness.
Cohen
Hagit
H
Ministry of Health Mental Health Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. hagitc@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Kaplan
Zeev
Z
Kotler
Moshe
M
Mittelman
Irena
I
Osher
Yamima
Y
Bersudsky
Yuly
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents