Heart Rate Variability and Ventilatory Efficiency

Abstract

The aims of this investigation were to identify possible associations between the resting high frequency component of heart rate variability and measures of ventilatory efficiency, determined during exercise, in a group of endurance trained athletes. V’E, V’CO₂, and V’O₂ were measured during incremental exercise up to the anaerobic threshold (AT) and up to volitional exhaustion (V’O_2 max) in 12 subjects. Resting high frequency heart rate variability (HF_NU), determined using spectral analysis of ECG traces, was correlated with the V’E vs. V’CO₂ slope calculated from data up to the AT, where a negative linear relation between the V’E vs. V’CO₂ slope and HF_NU was recorded (R²=0.69). Also, resting HF_NU was correlated with the V’E vs. V’CO₂ slope, when the data used for slope calculation included all V’E vs. V’CO₂ data up to V’O_2 max (R²=0.56). However, there was no evidence of association between the minimum V’E:V’CO₂ and resting HF_NU (R²=0.08). Negative relations between V’E vs. V’CO₂ slope and resting HF_NU suggest that HF_NU plays a role in matching blood flow in the lung to alveolar ventilation throughout the ventilatory cycle.

Key words

respiratory sinus arrhythmia - minute ventilation - endurance - cardiopulmonary exercise testing

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