Heart rate variability and heart rate turbulence in mild-to-moderate aortic stenosis

Abstract

Aims: To study heart rate (HR) variability and HR turbulence parameters in mild-to-moderate aortic stenosis (AS) and to disclose whether any relationship exists between these parameters and echocardiographic findings.

Methods and results: Forty-three asymptomatic patients with mild-to-moderate AS (AS group) were studied. Echocardiographic parameters and HR variability and HR turbulence indices obtained over 24 Holter ECG recordings were compared with those of an age and sex matched control population free of cardiovascular disease. Correlation between echocardiographic findings and HR variability and HR turbulence indices was also studied in the AS group. All HR variability parameters except mean RR interval, RMSSD, and pNN50 and one HR turbulence parameter, turbulence onset, were significantly disturbed in the AS group. Echocardiographic findings of diastolic dysfunction had significant correlations with HR variability and HR turbulence parameters in AS patients.

Conclusion: Symphatovagal imbalance as shown by disturbed HR variability and HR turbulence parameters was demonstrated for the first time in patients with mild-to-moderate AS. This imbalance, which was shown to be correlated with echocardiographic findings of diastolic dysfunction, may lead to arrhythmic complications in this seemingly low-risk patient population.