title: Heart Rate Variability during Inpatient Psychosomatic Treatment - A Naturalistic Observational Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We tested the hypothesis that inpatient psychosomatic treatment would improve both psychological distress and autonomic dysfunction, indexed as heart rate variability (HRV).
  
  
  METHODS
  135 patients (mean age 47.2 years, 68.1% women) were enrolled. The most frequent diagnoses were somatoform disorders, adjustment disorders, major depression, eating disorders, and anxiety disorders.Mean duration of treatment was 21.8 ± 7.3 days. Complete HRV data were available on 105 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the beginning of the treatment, psychological distress correlated with the low frequency/ high frequency ratio of HRV, indicating a shift of autonomic balance towards sympathetic predominance. Following treatment, psychological distress had improved, but parasympathetic activity was even lower. Tricyclic antidepressant use was associated with an increase in heart rate. No other associations between antidepressant use and autonomic function were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reductions of psychological distress may not be reflected by improved autonomic function. Studies on interventions that may improve both psychological distress and autonomic dysfunction are desirable.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Psychosomatik, CharitéUniversitätsmedizin Berlin,Campus Benjamin Franklin.|Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zimmermann-Viehoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Julian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thayer
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Psychosomatik, CharitéUniversitätsmedizin Berlin,Campus Benjamin Franklin.
authors.forename: Juliane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bergt
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Psychosomatik, CharitéUniversitätsmedizin Berlin,Campus Benjamin Franklin.
authors.forename: Cora S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Psychosomatik, CharitéUniversitätsmedizin Berlin,Campus Benjamin Franklin.
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Erdur
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Psychosomatik, CharitéUniversitätsmedizin Berlin,Campus Benjamin Franklin.
authors.forename: Hans-Christian
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Deter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D010343:Patient Admission; D011575:Psychoanalytic Therapy; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: Antidepressants; Anxiety; Depression; Heart Rate Variability; Psychodynamic Psychotherapy