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Detailed heart rate variability analysis in athletes

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Abstract

Objective

Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis has been used to evaluate patients with various cardiovascular diseases. While the vast majority of HRV studies have focused on pathological states, our study focuses on the less explored area of HRV analysis across different training intensity and sports. We aimed to measure HRV in healthy elite and masters athletes and compare to healthy, but non-athletic controls.

Methods

Time-domain HRV analysis was applied in 138 athletes (male 110, age 28.4 ± 8.3) and 100 controls (male 56, age 28.3 ± 6.9) during Holter monitoring (21.3 ± 3.0 h).

Results

All studied parameters were higher in elite athletes compared to controls [SDNN (CI) 225.3 (216.2–234.5) vs 158.6 (150.2–167.1) ms; SDNN Index (CI) 99.6 (95.6–103.7) vs 72.4 (68.7–76.2) ms; pNN50 (CI) 24.2 (22.2–26.3) vs 14.4 (12.7–16.3) %; RMSSD (CI) 71.8 (67.6–76.2) vs 50.8 (46.9–54.8) ms; p < 0.001]. Masters had higher HRV values than controls, but no significant differences were found between elite athletes and masters athletes. Some parameters were higher in canoeists-kayakers and bicyclists than runners. Lower cut-off values in elite athletes were SDNN: 147.4 ms, SDNN Index: 66.6 ms, pNN50: 9.7 %, RMSSD: 37.9 ms.

Interpretation

Autonomic regulation in elite athletes described with HRV is significantly different than in healthy controls. Sports modality and level of performance, but not age- or sex-influenced HRV. Our study provides athletic normal HRV values. Further investigations are needed to determine its role in risk stratification, optimization of training, or identifying overtraining.

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Author notes

    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Semmelweis University Heart and Vascular Center, 1122, Varosmajor str. 68., Budapest, Hungary

      Orsolya Kiss, Nóra Sydó, Péter Vargha, Hajnalka Vágó, Csilla Czimbalmos, Eszter Édes, Endre Zima, Györgyi Apponyi, Gergő Merkely, Dávid Becker & Béla Merkely

    2. Csolnoky Ferenc Hospital, Veszprém, Hungary

      Tibor Sydó

    3. Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

      Thomas G. Allison

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    1. Orsolya Kiss
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    Correspondence to Béla Merkely.

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    O. Kiss and N. Sydó contributed equally to this work.

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    Kiss, O., Sydó, N., Vargha, P. et al. Detailed heart rate variability analysis in athletes. Clin Auton Res 26, 245–252 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-016-0360-z

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