title: Association of sympathovagal imbalance with cardiovascular risks in young prehypertensives.
abstract: Although cardiovascular (CV) risks have been reported in prehypertension, their link to sympathovagal imbalance (SVI) has not been investigated. In the present study, we have assessed the factors contributing to SVI and the prediction of CV risk by SVI in prehypertensives. Body mass index, CV parameters such as heart rate, systolic blood pressure (BP), diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, rate-pressure product (RPP), stroke volume, left ventricular ejection time, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance, baroreflex sensitivity recorded by continuous blood pressure variability monitoring using Finapres, autonomic function tests recorded by spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV), and heart rate and BP responses to standing, deep breathing, and isometric handgrip, and biochemical parameters such as homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, lipid risk factors, inflammatory markers, thyroid profile, and renin and oxidative stress parameters were analyzed in young normotensives (n = 118) and prehypertensives (n = 58). Contribution of CV risks to low-frequency/high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio of HRV, the marker of SVI, was determined by multiple regression analysis, and prediction of SVI to RPP, a known CV risk, was assessed by logisitic regression adjusted for body mass index. BP variability, HRV, and autonomic function test parameters were significantly altered in prehypertensives and these parameters were correlated with LF/HF. Insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, inflammation, and oxidative stress contributed to SVI in prehypertensives. LF/HF and baroreflex sensitivity had significant prediction of RPP in prehypertensives. In conclusion, SVI in young prehypertensives is due to both increased sympathetic and decreased vagal tone. CV risks are linked to SVI and SVI predicts cardiac risk in prehypertensives.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India. Electronic address: drgkpal@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gopal K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Chandrasekaran
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Adithan
authors.forename: Palghat H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Ananthanarayanan
authors.forename: Pravati
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Nivedita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nanda
authors.forename: Durgadevi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thiyagarajan
authors.forename: Avupati N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Syamsunderkiran
authors.forename: Venugopal
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lalitha
authors.forename: Tarun K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Dutta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017704:Baroreflex; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002302:Cardiac Output; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D058246:Prehypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014655:Vascular Resistance; D055815:Young Adult