title: The Influence of Corticosteroids on Heart Rate Variablity in Acute Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.
abstract: Heart rate variability (HRV) gives information on the sympathetic-parasympathetic autonomic balance. The aim of the study was to analyze sympathovagal balance after acute spinal cord injury (SCI), demonstrated by linear measures in time and frequency domain of HRV and to analyze the effect of corticosteroids on HRV parameters in SCI. The study included 40 tetraplegic patients with acute SCI and 40 healthy subjects as control group. In the SCI group, 29 patients received and 11 patients did not receive corticosteroid therapy. All patients underwent 24-hour Holter monitoring for evaluation of HRV. Cardiac autonomic balance was evaluated by analysis of HRV in time and frequency domain. Sympathovagal balance (LF/HF) was significantly reduced in the groups of acute SCI patients, both with and without corticosteroid therapy, as compared with controls. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two SCI groups (1.74 (0524) with and 1.75 (0534) without corticosteroid therapy). This study showed the sympathovagal balance to be altered in the acute phase of cervical spinal cord trauma. Finally, there was no effect of corticosteroid therapy on HRV parameters in SCI patients.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hospital of Traumatology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia|School of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia
authors.forename: Antonija
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krstačić
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia|Institute for Cardiovascular Disease and Rehabilitation, Zagreb, Croatia
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Krstačić
authors.affiliation: Rudjer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gamberger
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones
keywords: Cervical vertebrae – injuries; Spinal cord injuries; Heart rate; Adrenal cortex hormones – therapy; Sympathetic nervous system; Vagus nerve