Key result
Short-term Arctic expeditions linked to lower HRV and baroreflex sensitivity, reflecting adaptive autonomic shifts.
Why the study?
Continuous heart rate and blood pressure recording was used to evaluate cardiovascular parameters in participants of short-term high-latitude expeditions compared to residents of Central Russia and the Arctic region.
Does participation in short-term high-latitude Arctic expeditions alter cardiovascular system parameters compared to residents of Central Russia and the Arctic region?
Observational (n=109)
Does participation in short-term high-latitude Arctic expeditions alter cardiovascular system parameters compared to residents of Central Russia and the Arctic region?
Short-term Arctic expeditions induce adaptive shifts in the autonomous regulation of the cardiovascular system, characterized by changes in heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity without altering basic clinical parameters.
Autonomic shifts in Arctic expedition participants should not yet change practice; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation.
OBJECTIVES: A method of continuous heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) recording was used for the evaluation of the cardiovascular system parameters in participants of short-term (<1 month) high-latitude expeditions, in comparison with the parameters of residents of Central Russia and the Arctic region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A dynamic examination of participants of Arctic expeditions (30 men, residents of middle-latitude regions, aged 46.7±1.7 years), workers permanently living in Central Russia (the Moscow region, 44 men, aged 46.7±1.0 years) and residents of the North (the Murmansk region, 35 men, aged 46.6±1.3 years) was performed. The authors used a spiroartheriocardiorythmograph allowing the parallel recording of HR, BP, spectral characteristics of HR variability (HRV) and the variability of systolic BP (sBP) and diastolic BP (dBP), cardiac performance parameters, and spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). The parameters were recorded at rest, in a sitting position, over 2 min. RESULTS: The basic clinical parameters (HR, BP and cardiac performance) did not differ in the workers living in different climatic zones. However, the residents of the North demonstrated a lower total power (TP) of the dBP variability spectrum and a lower relative power of the high-frequency (HF) range in both the sBP and dBP variability spectra. The participants of expeditions to the North had a lower TP of the HRV spectrum (in comparison with both control groups) that did not change during the expeditions; BRS was reduced, while the TP of the sBP spectrum was increased in comparison with the corresponding parameters obtained from the residents of circumpolar regions, and decreased during the expedition in parallel with a decrease in the sBP values. The TP of both the sBP and dBP variability spectra, as well as the power of the HF range in these spectra, were similar in the participants of expeditions to those obtained from the residents of Central Russia, and they considerably surpassed the corresponding parameters in the northerners surveyed. CONCLUSIONS: The revealed peculiarities of the cardiovascular system in the participants of high-latitude expeditions can be considered as correlates of positive, and adequate in terms of the physiological value, adaptive shifts in the autonomous regulation of the cardiovascular system. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(6):819-28.
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Панкова et al. (2020) conducted an observational in Healthy (n=109). Short-term high-latitude Arctic expeditions vs. Residents of Central Russia and the North was evaluated on Total power of the heart rate variability spectrum. Participants of short-term Arctic expeditions demonstrated a lower total power of the heart rate variability spectrum and reduced baroreflex sensitivity compared to residents of Central Russia and the North, reflecting adaptive shifts in autonomic regulation.
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