Abstract
Background: Heart Rate Variability (HRV) can predict cardiovascular events, especially sudden cardiac death and ventricular arrhythmias. Aim of this study was the evaluation of HRV indices in sarcoidosis (Sarc).
Methods: 180 biopsy proven Sarc patients who were not taking antiarrhythmic drugs were included in this study. They were compared with 72 sex and age matched healthy subjects. All participants had pulmonary function tests, cardiac ultrasound, 24-hour Holter monitoring and cardiac MRI and were classified to group A (healthy), group B (cardiac-free Sarc) or group C (cardiac Sarc). The average heart rate (mean HR), the maximum and minimum heart rate (maxHR and minHR), the root mean square of SD of RR (RMSSD) and the standard deviation of all normal to normal NN intervals (SDRR) were calculated during 24-hour Holter monitoring.
Results:
In bivariate analysis, SDRR is correlated with age (p=0.001, r=-.397), FVC(p=0.001, r=.242), FEV1(p=0.001, r=.261), TLC(p=0.001, r=.290) and DLCO (p=0.0001, r=.264).
Conclusion: HRV is decreased in patients with systemic sarcoidosis compared to the control group. SDRR is significantly decreased in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis and is correlated with lung function indices.
- © 2012 ERS