Key result
Individuals recovered from mild to moderate COVID-19 exhibited significant differences in HRV time and frequency domains during a 6-minute walk test compared to healthy controls.
Why the study?
Analyzing cardiac autonomic function can provide insights into the impact of COVID-19 on cardiac regulatory mechanisms and recovery, but its effect on heart rate variability during a 6-min walk test required investigation.
Does recovery from mild to moderate COVID-19 affect heart rate variability during a 6-minute walk test compared to healthy controls?
Observational (n=74)
Does recovery from mild to moderate COVID-19 affect heart rate variability during a 6-minute walk test compared to healthy controls?
Individuals recovered from mild to moderate COVID-19 exhibit significant alterations in heart rate variability during exercise recovery, suggesting lingering autonomic dysfunction.
Suggests persistent autonomic dysfunction in mild COVID survivors; hypothesis-generating for exercise monitoring, needs prospective confirmation.
Background and Objectives: Analyzing the cardiac autonomic function in COVID-19 patients can provide insights into the impact of the virus on the heart’s regulatory mechanisms and its recovery. The autonomic nervous system plays a crucial role in regulating the heart’s functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and cardiac output. This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on heart rate variability (HRV) during a 6-min walk test (6MWT). Materials and Methods: The study included 74 participants, consisting of 37 individuals who had recovered from mild to moderate COVID-19 and 37 healthy controls. The study assessed heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure both before and after a 6-min walk test (6MWT). Results: The study found significant differences in a few time domains (SDNN and pNN50) and all frequency domain measures, whereas there were no significant differences in demographic characteristics or blood pressure between COVID-19-recovered individuals and healthy controls at rest. There were significant 6MWT effects on average HR, time-domain (SDNN and pNN50) measures of HRV, and all frequency domain measures of HRV. A significant group × 6MWT interaction was found for SDNN, pNN50, total power, Ln total power, LF, HF, Ln LF, Ln HF, and LF nu. Conclusions: Cardiac Autonomic analysis through HRV is essential to ensure the continued health and well-being of COVID-19 survivors and to minimize the potential long-term impacts of the disease on their cardiovascular system. This suggests that HRV analysis during the recovery phase following exercise could serve as a valuable tool for evaluating the physiological effects of COVID-19 and monitoring the recovery process.
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Garg et al. (2023) conducted an observational in COVID-19 recovery (n=74). Mild to moderate COVID-19 vs. Healthy controls was evaluated on Heart rate variability (HRV) during a 6-min walk test (6MWT). Individuals recovered from mild to moderate COVID-19 exhibited significant differences in HRV time and frequency domains during a 6-minute walk test compared to healthy controls.
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