Relation of heart rate recovery to heart rate vari

Authors: Sae Young Jae Kevin S Heffernan Miyoung Lee Bo Fernhall

Publish Date: 2010/11/30

Volume: 21, Issue: 2, Pages: 111-116

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Abstract

Heart rate recovery HRR after treadmill exercise testing is an index of cardiac autonomic activity in nondisabled persons but it is unknown if this is also the case in individuals with spinal cord injury SCI We investigated the relationship between HRR after maximal arm exercise testing and resting autonomic activity in persons with paraplegiaA total of 17 male n = 9 female n = 8 active individuals with paraplegia injury below T6 were included in the study Frequency domain analyses of resting heart rate variability were obtained and participants completed a maximal arm exercise test HRR was calculated as the difference between peak heart rate during the test and heart rate 1 min HRR1 and 2 HRR2 min after cessation of exerciseHRR 1 and HRR 2 were statistically significantly correlated with highfrequency HF power r = 046 p  005 and r = 047 p  005 and the LF/HF ratio r = −049 p  005 and r = −050 p  005 After adjusting for age peak heart rate and peak oxygen uptake HRR 2 was still significantly associated with HF power r = 050 p  005 and the LF/HF ratio r = −058 p  005These findings indicate that HRR after maximal arm exercise testing is associated with resting cardiac autonomic activity in persons with paraplegia This would suggest that HRR after maximal arm exercise testing can be used as an index of autonomic function in this population

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