title: Exercise training improves autonomic profiles in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effect of an interval exercise training (ITE) program on heart rate variability (HRV) was studied in 8 patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease and 8 healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  At baseline, all subjects underwent ambulatory 24-hour Holter electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring to evaluate HRV. HRV analysis was repeated on CMT patients after they completed a 24-week ITE program on a cycle ergometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before exercise, all HRV indices were lower in patients compared with controls, and the difference reached statistical significance for pNN50 (percent of differences between adjacent R-R intervals exceeding 50 ms). After ITE, time- and frequency-domain indices were significantly improved, particularly at night (+8% mean R-R interval, +95% pNN50, 52% reduction in low/high-frequency ratio). We observed significant increases in some of the time and frequency parameters, and values sometimes exceeded those of controls at baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that ITE improves HRV modulation in CMT patients by enhancing parasympathetic activity.
authors: Exercise Physiology Laboratory, EA 4338, Jean Monnet University, Saint-Etienne, France. l.elmhandi@univ-st-etienne.fr
authors: Lhassan
authors: L
authors: El Mhandi
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Pichot
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Calmels
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Gautheron
authors: Frédéric
authors: F
authors: Roche
authors: Léonard
authors: L
authors: Féasson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D002607:Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male