Fasting glucose was independently associated with decreased heart rate variability and sympathetic overdrive (LF/HF ratio) in youth across the glycemic spectrum (β=0.39, p=0.003).
Cross-Sectional (n=94)
What are the determinants of heart rate variability (HRV) in youth with obesity across the glycemia spectrum?
Youth with impaired glucose regulation exhibit cardiac autonomic dysfunction characterized by decreased HRV and sympathetic overdrive, which is independently associated with glycemia and systemic inflammation.
p-value: p=0.004
Summary Objectives To characterize the determinants of heart rate variability (HRV) in youth with obesity across the glycemia spectrum. Methods A total of 94 adolescents, 15 ± 2.1 years (21 with normal weight, 23 with overweight‐normal glucose tolerance, 26 with prediabetes and 24 with type 2 diabetes T2D) underwent an assessment of body composition (dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry), 2‐h oral glucose tolerance test with the calculation of indices of glycemia and insulin sensitivity (IS), inflammatory markers (high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein hs‐CRP and tumour necrosis factor‐α TNF‐α), and HRV by peripheral arterial tonometry. Results The HRV frequency‐domain index (low‐frequency to high‐frequency ratio LF/HF), an estimate of the ratio between sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, increased across the glycemic spectrum, and was highest in T2D compared with the other three groups ( p = 0.004). LF/HF correlated with %body fat ( r = 0.22, p = 0.04); fasting ( r = 0.39, p < 0.001), 2‐h ( r = 0.31, p = 0.004), and area under the curve glucose ( r = 0.32, p = 0.003); hs‐CRP ( r = 0.33, p = 0.002) and TNF‐α ( r = 0.38, p = 0.006). In a linear regression model, fasting glucose ( β = 0.39, p = 0.003) and hs‐CRP ( β = 0.21, p = 0.09) contributed to the variance in Ln LF/HF independent of IS, %body fat, age, sex, race‐ethnicity and Tanner stage ( R 2 = 0.23, p = 0.013). Conclusions Youth with impaired glucose regulation have evidence of cardiac autonomic dysfunction with decreased HRV, and sympathetic overdrive (increased LF/HF). This dysfunction is mainly related to glycemia and systemic inflammation.
El‐Ayash et al. (Tue,) conducted a cross-sectional in Obesity and impaired glucose regulation (n=94). Impaired glucose regulation / Fasting glucose vs. Normal glucose tolerance / Normal weight was evaluated on Heart rate variability (LF/HF ratio) (p=0.004). Fasting glucose was independently associated with decreased heart rate variability and sympathetic overdrive (LF/HF ratio) in youth across the glycemic spectrum (β=0.39, p=0.003).