Age and Sex Differences in Heart Rate Variability and Vagal Specific Patterns – Baependi Heart Study

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) is a noninvasive method for assessing autonomic function. Age, sex, and chronic conditions influence HRV. Objectives: Our aim was to evaluate HRV measures exploring differences by age, sex, and race in a sample from a rural area. Methods: Analytical sample (n = 1,287) included participants from the 2010 to 2016 evaluation period of the Baependi Heart Study, a family-based cohort in Brazil. Participants underwent 24-hour Holter-ECG (Holter) monitoring. To derive population reference values, we restricted our analysis to a 'healthy' subset (i.e. absence of medical comorbidities). A confirmatory analysis was conducted with a subgroup sample that also had HRV derived from a resting ECG 10'-protocol obtained during the same time period. Time domain HRV measures showed significant differences by age-decade and by sex. Higher values were observed for males across almost all age-groups. Parasympathetic associated variables (rMSSD and pNN50) showed a U-shaped distribution and reversal increase above 60y. Sympathetic-parasympathetic balance variables (SDNN, SDANN) decreased linearly by age. Race differences were no significant. We compared time domain variables with complete data (Holter and resting ECG) between 'healthy' versus 'unhealthy' groups. Higher HRV values were shown for the 'healthy' subset compared with the 'unhealthy' group. Conclusion: HRV measures vary across age and sex. A U-shaped pattern and a reversal increase in parasympathetic variables may reflect an age-related autonomic dysfunction even in healthy individuals that could be used as a predictor of disease development.