Vigorous physical activity and vagal modulation in young adults

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2009

Authors

soares-miranda, l (Author) Other; sandercock, g (Author) Other; valente, h (Author) Other; vale, s (Author) Other; santos, r (Author) Other; mota, j (Author) FADEUP

Journal

Title: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR PREVENTION & REHABILITATION

Vol. 16

Pages: 705-711

ISSN: 1741-8267

Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ltd.

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 12 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 10 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-DVZ

DOI: 10.1097/hjr.0b013e3283316cd1

Resumo (PT): BACKGROUND: Aerobic exercise leads to reduced sympathetic and increased cardiac vagal modulation, providing an antiarrhythmic effect. The optimal exercise intensity to promote this adaptation remains undefined. The aims of the present investigation were twofold. First, to examine differences in heart rate variability (HRV) measures in participants with different levels of objectively measured physical activity (PA). Second, to identify the characteristic of PA which most influences the cardiac autonomic nervous system (cANS) function in young adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional evaluation of 84 adults examining relationships between PA amount and intensities, measured by accelerometry, cANS function derived from HRV. Groups were created based on tertiles of PA and analysis of covariance was used to assess between-group differences in HRV. Stepwise regression analysis was used to determine the characteristic of PA, which best predicted vagal HRV indices. RESULTS: There were significantly higher levels of vagal HRV indices in the most active group compared with the least active group. Regression analysis revealed that the number of bouts of vigorous PA undertaken was the best predictor of the vagal HRV indices assessed. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that vagal modulation is enhanced with high levels of PA and that it is the number of bouts of vigorous PA that is most closely associated with cANS function.

Abstract (EN): Background Aerobic exercise leads to reduced sympathetic and increased cardiac vagal modulation, providing an antiarrhythmic effect The optimal exercise intensity to promote this adaptation remains undefined. The aims of the present investigation were twofold. First, to examine differences in heart rate variability (HRV) measures in participants with different levels of objectively measured physical activity (PA). Second, to identify the characteristic of PA which most influences the cardiac autonomic nervous system (cANS) function in young adults. Methods Cross-sectional evaluation of 84 adults examining relationships between PA amount and intensities, measured by accelerometry, CANS function derived from HRV. Groups were created based on tertiles of PA and analysis of covariance was used to assess between-group differences in HRV. Stepwise regression analysis was used to determine the characteristic of PA, which best predicted vagal HRV indices. Results There were significantly higher levels of vagal HRV indices in the most active group compared with the least active group. Regression analysis revealed that the number of bouts of vigorous PA undertaken was the best predictor of the vagal HRV indices assessed. Conclusion This study suggests that vagal modulation is enhanced with high levels of PA and that it is the number of bouts of vigorous PA that is most closely associated with CANS function. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 16:705-711 (C) 2009 The European Society of Cardiology

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7