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Postprandial Changes of Sympathovagal Balance Measured by Heart Rate Variability

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate thesympathovagal balance after meals by measuring thespectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). Ninehealthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. The electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded for 30 minin a fasting state and 60 min after a 500-kcal testmeal. The HRV was derived from the ECG and was measuredby power spectral analysis using fast-Fourier transform algorithm. It reveals two dominantspectral components. The low-frequency (LF) bandreflects primarily sympathetic activity with someparasympathetic input. The high-frequency (HF) band isa reflection of parasympathetic (vagal) activity. TheLF-to-HF ratio is considered a marker of sympathovagalbalance. It was found that the postprandial LF-to-HFratio, compared with the fasting state, wassignificantly increased at both the first 30 min (2.50± 0.49 vs 1.78 ± 0.33, P < 0.05) andthe second 30 min (2.68 ± 0.55 vs 1.78 ±0.33, P < 0.05). The postprandial HF diminishedsignificantly at both the first (16.0 ± 0.5 vs 21.8 ±4.2, P < 0.05) and the second (13.8 ± 9.5 vs21.8 ± 4.2, P < 0.05) 30-min period. Inconclusion, the postprandial sympathovagal ratio showsa sustained elevation lasting 1 hr, mainly attributed to diminishedvagal activity.

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Authors
  1. Ching-Liang Lu
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  2. Xiaoping Zou
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  3. William C. Orr
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  4. J. D. Z. Chen
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Lu, CL., Zou, X., Orr, W.C. et al. Postprandial Changes of Sympathovagal Balance Measured by Heart Rate Variability. Dig Dis Sci 44, 857–861 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026698800742

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