Influence of visceral fat on cardio-respiratory homeostasis depending on sex, age and presence of arterial hypertension

Introduction. The study of vegetative homeostasis requires the accounting of sensitive, non-invasive parameters of multidimensional ambulatory metabolic and cardiorespiratory monitoring, including bioimedansometry, heart rate variability (HRV) and respiratory function (RF). Aim. To determine concomitant changes in HRV, RF, depending on the level of visceral fat (VF) and the presence of arterial hypertension (AH), associated with gender, age to determine the targets of preventive effects. Materials and methods. 215 boys and girls aged 18 to 30 years and 93 men and women with hypertension aged 45 to 59 years underwent, bioimpedancometry, HRV monitoring using ten-minute recordings, and the study of respiratory function. Results and discussion. In young people with a BMI over 25 kg/m2, a high level of HF was associated with an increase in LF/ HF and SDANN values, which reflected a reduction in parasympathetic activity and an increase in sympathetic activity, as well as changes in RF with a decrease in the Tiffno index and maximum half-expiratory flow (MHF). In middle-aged individuals with AH and BMI exceeding 25 kg/m2, a direct correlation was found between the value of VF and age, waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure, with a higher stress index of cardiac rhythm regulation and more pronounced sympathetic activity in terms of the LF/HF parameter. A lower total HRV, low parasympathetic activity and tension in the regulation of the heart rhythm in persons with AH were detected even with an intermediate value of VF. Conclusions. The study of autonomic homeostasis required the accounting of the individual dynamics of the parameters of HRV and the RF even within normal values. Changes in HRV associated with an intermediate increase in VF should be monitored with an emphasis on SDANN, LF/HF, stress index and vegetative index, and changes in RF – with an emphasis on the Tiffno index and MHF.