FUNÇÃO AUTONÔMICA CARDÍACA DO PACIENTE COM DOENÇA PULMONAR OBSTRUTIVA CRÔNICA

Abstract

The heart rate variability (HRV), defined as temporal variation between consecutive heart beats, provides information about cardiac autonomic regulation. It is known that the physiological parameter can be influenced by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), however more information to assist in elucidating this context are necessary, especially focused on the reality of the Brazilian population. This study aimed to investigate whether the airflow limitation compromises cardiac autonomic function and if autonomic function limits the COPD patients functional capacity. Therefore, participants underwent spirometry, anthropometry, assessment of HRV and six-minute walk test (6MWT). For HRV, the GOLD CD group and GOLD AB group were compared with each other and between control group (normal spirometry); addittionaly, it was evaluated whether treatment situation (ET- in treatment and NT - untreated) is associated with HRV. The statistical analyses of the data were performed using STATA 7.0 program. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Spearman rank correlation, simple and multiple linear regression and analysis of variance were applied. The logarithmic transformation was applied to the non-normal distribution variables. About sample population of COPD patients (60 individuals), 53% of participants are men; age 63.7 ± 9.45 years; GOLD (A 15%, B 13%, C - 20%, D - 52%); FEV1 (% predicted): 46.6 ± 19.8; BMI: 25.5 ± 5.0 kg/m²; 6MWT: 391.5 ± 107.0 m; A correlation between FEV1 and HRV (RR, r = 0.33; p <0.001 and LF, r = 0.30; p <0.02), BMI (r = 0.33; p <0.01) CC (r = 0.30; p <0.02) 6MWD (r = 0.57; p <0.001); Regression analysis indicated that sex (β = 0.02 p <0.1) and age (β = 0.02 p <0.5) are not associated with HRV, indicated an association between severity disease and RR index (β = 101.1;. p <0.01), an association between the HRV (RR β = 132.9; p <0.01;.TP β = 0,8 p <0.04;. LF β = 13.1; p <0.03; HF β = 1.3; p <0.001;. HFun β = 13.1; p < 0.03; LF/HF β = 0.7; p <0.02) and the treatment situation, association between sex (β = 96.5; p < 0.03), and HRV (RR β = 0.5; p <0.01; SDNN β = 256.1;. RMSSD β = -49454.3; p < 0.01;. LF β = -49.5; p <0.05; SD1 β = 49248.8 p <0,01) with functional capacity. The variance analysis of HRV indexes showed differences only RR index (p <0.05) GOLD GOLD AB and CD, but between ET and NT groups showed differences (p <0.05) of the indexes LF, HF, HFun, and LF/HF. Thus, the results of this study indicated that lung function is related to the functional capacity and this may be limited by sympathetic predominance in the cardiac function modulation. Sex and age were not significantly associated with HRV, but the disease severity was associated with RR index. The treatment situation was variable with more strength of association with HRV, suggesting that sympathetic predominance in the heart rate modulation is higher in the ET group.