Adolescents born preterm had significantly lower time-domain heart rate variability (SDRR 69.1 vs 110.1 msec, P=0.008) and slower heart rate recovery after maximal exercise compared to term controls.
Observational (n=41)
Does preterm birth lead to impaired autonomic function in adolescence?
Adolescents born preterm exhibit impaired autonomic function, characterized by reduced heart rate variability and slower heart rate recovery, which may increase future cardiovascular risk.
Absolute Event Rate: 69.1% vs 110.1%
p-value: p=0.008
Preterm birth temporarily disrupts autonomic nervous system (ANS) development, and the long-term impacts of disrupted fetal development are unclear in children. Abnormal cardiac ANS function is associated with worse health outcomes, and has been identified as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We used heart rate variability (HRV) in the time domain (standard deviation of RR intervals, SDRR; and root means squared of successive differences, RMSSD) and frequency domain (high frequency, HF; and low frequency, LF) at rest, as well as heart rate recovery (HRR) following maximal exercise, to assess autonomic function in adolescent children born preterm. Adolescents born preterm (less than 36 weeks gestation at birth) in 2003 and 2004 and healthy age-matched full-term controls participated. Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests were used to compare variables between control and preterm groups. Twenty-one adolescents born preterm and 20 term-born controls enrolled in the study. Preterm-born subjects had lower time-domain HRV, including SDRR (69.1 ± 33.8 vs. 110.1 ± 33.0 msec, respectively, P = 0.008) and RMSSD (58.8 ± 38.2 vs. 101.5 ± 36.2 msec, respectively, P = 0.012), with higher LF variability in preterm subjects. HRR after maximal exercise was slower in preterm-born subjects at 1 min (30 ± 12 vs. 39 ± 9 bpm, respectively, P = 0.013) and 2 min (52 ± 10 vs. 60 ± 10 bpm, respectively, P = 0.016). This study is the first report of autonomic dysfunction in adolescents born premature. Given prior association of impaired HRV with adult cardiovascular disease, additional investigations into the mechanisms of autonomic dysfunction in this population are warranted.
Haraldsdóttir et al. (Thu,) conducted a observational in Preterm birth (n=41). Preterm birth vs. Full-term birth (healthy age-matched controls) was evaluated on Heart rate variability (SDRR) at rest (p=0.008). Adolescents born preterm had significantly lower time-domain heart rate variability (SDRR 69.1 vs 110.1 msec, P=0.008) and slower heart rate recovery after maximal exercise compared to term controls.