SPECTRAL-ANALYSIS OF HEART-RATE-VARIABILITY IN ATHLETES

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 1993

Authors

PUIG, J (Author) Other; Freitas, J (Author) Other; CARVALHO, MJ (Author) Other; PUGA, N (Author) Other; RAMOS, J (Author) Other; FERNANDES, P (Author) Other; COSTA, O (Author) Other; DEFREITAS, AF (Author) Other

Journal

Title: The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness

Vol. 33

Pages: 44-48

ISSN: 0022-4707

Publisher: EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 34 Citations

Scopus - 38 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-001-NAV

Abstract (EN): The objectives of the study were to characterize power spectrum pattern of the heart rate variability and assessment of the relative contributions of sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac nervous system control in athletes. Thirty-three male athletes, swimming (1), canoeing (10), cycling (6), athletics (4), football (3), roller-skating (2) and volleyball (7) aged 23.4+/-5.5 years, with a mean athletic level of 18 hours/week (8-45) and 33 sedentary healthy control subjects were included. Ecg signals were recorded after a period of 15 minutes in supine rest with controlled breathing at 15 cycles/min. Signal acquisition was done at 300 samples/sec. From 512 consecutive heart beats, we calculated mean average, standard deviation, maximum and minimum R-R intervals and, after computing the fast Fourier transform, total spectrum power, low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) components and its ratio (LF/HF). The average R-R interval was 987.7+/-168.8 ms and 762.7+/-125.3 ms, the variance was 5.44 and 2.51 ms2 and ratio of R-R interval maximum/minimum (E/I ratio) 1.53+/-0.16 and 1.41+/-0.16, respectively for athletes and control group. Differences between groups were significant (p<0.01) for all parameters, with higher variability in the athletes. Both spectral bands (LF and HF) had higher power in athletes (LF=925+/-920 and HF=2258+/-2349 ms2) than in the control group (LF=442+/-446 and HF=1179+/-1542 ms2)(p<0.01). There were no significant differences for LF/HF ratio, or normalized LF (LF%) or normalized HF (HF%) between groups. The present results indicates higher power of both spectral bands (LF and HF) and higher amplitude of the respective peaks in atheletes when compared with healthy sedentary which suggests that higher heart rate variability observed in athletes is due to increased parasympathetic activity.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5