title: Low heart rate variability in patients with clinical burnout.
abstract: Several studies have shown that acute psychosocial stress and chronic psychosocial stress reduce heart rate variability (HRV). It is likely that individuals suffering from burnout have reduced HRV, as a consequence of the long-term stress exposure. This study investigated HRV in 54 patients with clinical burnout (40 women and 14 men) and in 55 individuals reporting low burnout scores (healthy; 24 women and 31 men) and 52 individuals reporting high burnout scores (non-clinical burnout; 33 women and 19 men). The participants underwent a 300s ECG recording in the supine position. Standard deviation of normal R-R intervals (SDNN) and the root mean square of successive normal interval differences (RMSSD) were derived from time domain HRV analysis. Frequency domain HRV measures; total power (TP), low frequency power (LF), high frequency power (HF), and LF/HF ratio were calculated. All HRV measures, except LF/HF ratio, were lower in the clinical burnout patients compared to both the non-clinical burnout group and the healthy group. The difference was larger between the patients and the healthy group than between the patients and the non-clinical burnout group. HRV did not differ significantly between the non-clinical burnout group and the healthy group. Low HRV in burnout patients may constitute one of the links to associated adverse health, since low HRV reflects low parasympathetic activity - and accordingly low anabolic/regenerative activity.
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Stress Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden; Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna-Karin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lennartsson
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Stress Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Food and Nutrition, and Sport Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ingibjörg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jonsdottir
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Stress Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. Electronic address: anna.sjors@vgregion.se.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sjörs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Autonomic nervous system; Clinical burnout; Heart rate variability; Non-clinical burnout; Vagal tone