Heart rate variability and heart rate turbulence in mild-to-moderate aortic stenosis.
OBJECTIVE
To study heart rate (HR) variability and HR turbulence parameters in mild-to-moderate aortic stenosis (AS) and to disclose whether any relationship exists between these parameters and echocardiographic findings.


RESULTS
Forty-three asymptomatic patients with mild-to-moderate AS (AS group) were studied. Echocardiographic parameters and HR variability and HR turbulence indices obtained over 24 Holter ECG recordings were compared with those of an age and sex matched control population free of cardiovascular disease. Correlation between echocardiographic findings and HR variability and HR turbulence indices was also studied in the AS group. All HR variability parameters except mean RR interval, RMSSD, and pNN50 and one HR turbulence parameter, turbulence onset, were significantly disturbed in the AS group. Echocardiographic findings of diastolic dysfunction had significant correlations with HR variability and HR turbulence parameters in AS patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Symphatovagal imbalance as shown by disturbed HR variability and HR turbulence parameters was demonstrated for the first time in patients with mild-to-moderate AS. This imbalance, which was shown to be correlated with echocardiographic findings of diastolic dysfunction, may lead to arrhythmic complications in this seemingly low-risk patient population.
Arslan
Ugur
U
Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey. ugurarslan5@yahoo.com
Ozdemir
Murat
M
Kocaman
Sinan Altan
SA
Balcioglu
Serhat
S
Cemri
Mustafa
M
Cengel
Atiye
A
D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged