Evaluation of cardiac autonomic functions in patients with ankylosing spondylitis via heart rate recovery and heart rate variability.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate recovery (HRR) in otherwise healthy ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and control subjects.


METHODS
A total of 28 patients with AS and 30 volunteers matched for age and sex were enrolled. All subjects underwent HRV analysis, exercise testing (ET), and transthoracic echocardiography. HRR indices were calculated by subtracting first, second, and third minute heart rates (HR) from the maximal HR.


RESULTS
The AS and control groups were similar with respect to age (28.7 ± 5.7 vs. 29.3 ± 5.8 years), gender distribution [(male/female) 24/4 vs. 26/4], and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (63.8 ± 2.8% vs. 65.7 ± 3.6%). Mean HRR1 (24.8 ± 4.2 vs. 28.8 ± 5.5, P = 0.001) and HRR2 (42.0 ± 4.4 vs. 48.0 ± 6.3, P = 0.001) values were significantly higher in control group. SDNN, SDANN, RMSDD, and PNN50 significantly decreased; LF and LF/HF increased in AS patients compared with control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with AS has lower HRR and HRV indices with respect to normal subjects. Cardiac autonomic functions might be involved in AS patients even in patients without cardiac symptoms.
Kaya
Ergun Baris
EB
Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Sıhhiye, PO 06100, Ankara, Turkey.
Okutucu
Sercan
S
Aksoy
Hakan
H
Karakulak
Ugur Nadir
UN
Tulumen
Erol
E
Ozdemir
Oya
O
Inanici
Fatma
F
Aytemir
Kudret
K
Kabakci
Giray
G
Tokgozoglu
Lale
L
Ozkutlu
Hilmi
H
Oto
Ali
A
D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult