Key result
C-reactive protein levels were inversely correlated with heart rate variability in response to the Valsalva maneuver (rho -0.517; 95% CI -0.877 to -0.001; p=0.032) and standing.
Why the study?
Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction typically occurs after infection, but the association between serum inflammatory markers and this dysfunction needed assessment.
Observational (n=50)
Effect estimate: rho -0.517 (95% CI -0.877 to -0.001)
p-value: p=0.032
CRP levels inversely correlate with heart rate variability, suggesting CRP is a potential marker of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction following infection.
May link post-infection inflammation to autonomic dysfunction; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation before clinical use.
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a known measure of cardiac autonomic function. A cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction (CAD), measured as changes in HRV, is usually presented after an infectious process. The aim of the present study is to assess the association between serum inflammatory markers and CAD. For this purpose, 50 volunteers (13 of them recovering from an infection) were recruited and followed-up for 6 weeks. Their serum inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, IL1, IL4, IL6, IL10, and TNFalpha) were quantified throughout those weeks, along with their HRV resting, in response to the Valsalva maneuver, metronome breathing, standing and sustained handgrip. The correlation of within-subject changes in both HRV and inflammatory biomarkers was assessed to evaluate the concurrent changes. An inverse within-subject correlation was found between CRP and HRV in response to the Valsalva maneuver (rho (95% CI): −0.517 (−0.877 to −0.001); p = 0.032) and HRV standing (rho (95% CI): −0.490 (−0.943 to −0.036); p = 0.034). At the beginning, increased values of CRP are found along with reduced levels of HRV. Then, the CRP was reduced, accompanied by an improvement (increase) in HRV. These results suggest that CRP is a potential marker of CAD. Whether it is the cause, the consequence or a risk indicator non-causally associated is still to be determined.
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Arias-Colinas et al. (2022) conducted an observational in Bacterial infection (n=50). Serum inflammatory biomarkers (CRP, IL1, IL4, IL6, IL10, TNFalpha) was evaluated on Correlation of within-subject changes in heart rate variability (HRV) and inflammatory biomarkers (rho -0.517, 95% CI -0.877 to -0.001, p=0.032). C-reactive protein levels were inversely correlated with heart rate variability in response to the Valsalva maneuver (rho -0.517; 95% CI -0.877 to -0.001; p=0.032) and standing.
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