title: The effects of Ramadan fasting on heart rate variability in healthy individuals: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ramadan fasting is one of the five fundamental rituals of Islam. Heart rate variability (HRV) is an independent predictor of increased mortality of patients with myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure. Although many patients in this region fast once a year, the effects of fasting on the HRV, which has a prognostic significance for patients with myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure, are not known. Therefore, the study on the effects of one month fast of HRV in healthy volunteers seems to be reasonable to address.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study is a prospective cohort study that includes a total of 40 healthy volunteers with sinus rhythm between 19 and 40 years of age (16 female and 24 male). HRV was determined twice by ambulatory 24-hour Holter recordings at fasting in the middle of Ramadan and first week after Ramadan month. Mean values of continuous variables were compared by using the Student t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Paired t-test or Wilcoxon test were used for comparison of variables between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When two groups compared, statistically significant differences were found in terms of RR (p=0.049), SDNNI (p=0.010), rMSSD (p=0.009), pNN50 (p=0.015), T power (p=0.009), LF (p=0.008), Lfnu (p=0.002), HF (p=0.022) and Hfnu (p=0.013) values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, HRV parameters were found to be increased in Ramadan month, so we think that Ramadan fasting enhances the activity of the parasympathetic system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, İnönü University; Malatya-Turkey. hakantasolar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cansel
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taşolar
authors.forename: Jülide
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yağmur
authors.forename: Necip
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ermiş
authors.forename: Nusret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Açıkgöz
authors.forename: Ferhat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eyyüpkoca
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pekdemir
authors.forename: Ramazan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007514:Islam; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult