Heart rate variability (HRV) in adolescent females with anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate heart rate variability (HRV) in a clinical sample of female adolescents with anxiety disorders (AD) and/or major depressive disorder (MDD) compared with healthy controls and to assess the effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) on HRV.


METHODS
Heart rate variability was measured in adolescent female psychiatric patients with AD and/or MDD (n = 69), mean age 16.8 years (range: 14.5-18.4), from 13 out-patient clinics and in healthy controls (n = 65), mean age 16.5 years (range: 15.9-17.7). HRV was registered in the sitting position during 4 min with no interventions.


RESULTS
Logarithmically transformed high frequency HRV (HF), low frequency HRV (LF) and standard deviation of inter beat intervals (SDNN) were lower in the clinical sample compared with the controls (Cohen's d for HF = 0.57, LF = 0.55, SDNN = 0.60). This was not explained by body mass index, blood pressure or physical activity. Medication with SSRI explained 15.5% of the total variance of HF, 3.0% of LF and 6.5% of SDNN.


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescent female psychiatric patients with AD and/or MDD show reduced HRV compared with healthy controls. Medication with SSRI explained a part of this difference.
Henje Blom
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Department of Clinical Neuroscience, and Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. eva.henjeblom@ki.se
Olsson
E M
EM
Serlachius
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E
Ericson
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M
Ingvar
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D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors