Analysis of heart rate variability with electromyography in heart transplant recipients.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate vagal parasympathetic functions by electromyographic R-R interval variation analyses in heart transplant recipients.


METHODS
Cross-sectional and longitudinal study.


METHODS
Department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, university hospital.


METHODS
Early (n=8; <3 mo) and late (n=17; >1 y) heart transplant recipients and healthy volunteers (n=20) were included.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
The R-R interval variations at rest and in response to deep breathing, Valsalva, and tilt/standup maneuvers were analyzed in all patient and control groups. Further, 8 early heart transplant recipients were followed up at the sixth and twelfth months after transplantation.


RESULTS
Compared with controls, both early and late transplant recipients had significantly lower R-R interval variation ratios (P<.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the early and late groups (P>.05). R-R interval variation ratios showed no significant changes from baseline (P>.025) in the early heart transplant recipients.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the study suggest that parasympathetic activities are suppressed in the early stage after heart transplantation and do not significantly recover with time. The electromyographic analysis of R-R interval variation is a simple test that may offer an attractive alternative for routine evaluation of autonomic dysfunction in heart transplant recipients.
On
Arzu
A
Department of Physical Medicine, University of Ege, Izmir, Turkey.
Karapolat
Hale
H
Zoghi
Mehdi
M
Nalbantgil
Sanem
S
Yagdi
Tahir
T
Ozbaran
Mustafa
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult