Heart Rate Variability, Standard of Measurement, Physiological Interpretation and Clinical Use in Mountain Marathon Runners during Sleep and after Acclimatization at 3480 m

Fluctuations in autonomic cardiovascular regulation during exposure to high altitude may increase the risk of heart attack during waking and sleep. This study compared heart rate variability (HVR) and its components during sleep at low altitude and after 30 - 41 hours of acclimatization at high altitude (3480 m) in five mountain marathon runners controlled for diet, drugs, light-dark cycle and jet lag. In comparison to sea level, RR-intervals during sleep at high altitude decreased significantly (P < 0.001). The significant increase in sympathetic autonomic cardiovascular modulation at high altitude protects against excessive oxygen deprivation during sleep. Increases in R-R intervals can require longer periods of acclimatization at 3480 m to mitigate the effects of altitude/hypoxia on sympathetic tone, thus reducing cardiovascular distress at rest during waking and sleep and probably before during and after athletic performance at altitude.

[1]  W. Zareba,et al.  Heart rate variability. , 2013, Handbook of clinical neurology.

[2]  I. Gritti,et al.  Electroencephalographic Changes after a Marathon at 4300 M of Altitude , 2012 .

[3]  K. George,et al.  Alterations in autonomic function and cerebral hemodynamics to orthostatic challenge following a mountain marathon. , 2007, Journal of applied physiology.

[4]  G. Vandewalle,et al.  Robust circadian rhythm in heart rate and its variability: influence of exogenous melatonin and photoperiod , 2007, Journal of sleep research.

[5]  G. Mazzuero,et al.  Autonomic cardiovascular regulation in subjects with acute mountain sickness. , 2005, American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology.

[6]  F. Léon-Velarde,et al.  Autonomic adaptations in andean trained participants to a 4220-m altitude marathon. , 2005, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[7]  M. Yamada,et al.  Relationship between arterial oxygen saturation and heart rate variability at high altitudes. , 2005, The American journal of emergency medicine.

[8]  G. Fragasso,et al.  Transient cardiac left ventricular diastolic dysfunction following strenuous exercise , 2004, Sport Sciences for Health.

[9]  Carlo Semenza,et al.  Verbal Free Recall in High Altitude: Proper Names vs Common Names , 2003, Cortex.

[10]  G. Banfi,et al.  Preanalytical phase of sport biochemistry and haematology. , 2003, The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness.

[11]  Kenzo Hirao,et al.  Correlation between electroencephalography and heart rate variability during sleep , 2003, Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences.

[12]  H. Scholz.  Adaptational responses to hypoxia. , 2002, American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology.

[13]  G. Roi,et al.  Marathons in altitude. , 1999, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[14]  A Calciati,et al.  Cardiovascular autonomic modulation and activity of carotid baroreceptors at altitude. , 1998, Clinical science.

[15]  H. Otzenberger,et al.  Temporal relationship between dynamic heart rate variability and electroencephalographic activity during sleep in man , 1997, Neuroscience Letters.

[16]  I. Gritti,et al.  Pepsinogens and Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Mountain Marathon Runners , 1996, International journal of sports medicine.

[17]  A. Malliani,et al.  Heart rate variability. Standards of measurement, physiological interpretation, and clinical use , 1996 .

[18]  J. Coote.  Medicine and Mechanisms in Altitude Sickness , 1995, Sports medicine.

[19]  G. Roi,et al.  Platelet indices in athletes performing a race in altitude environment , 1995, Journal of clinical laboratory analysis.

[20]  G. Roi,et al.  Growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I in athletes performing a marathon at 4000 m of altitude. , 1994, Growth regulation.

[21]  G. Gleim,et al.  Effect of athletic training on heart rate variability. , 1994, American heart journal.

[22]  G. Roi,et al.  Cortisol, testosterone, and free testosterone in athletes performing a marathon at 4,000 m altitude. , 1994, Hormone research.

[23]  H. V. van Geijn,et al.  Heart Rate Variability , 1993, Annals of Internal Medicine.

[24]  G. Mogenson,et al.  Central neural regulation of heart and blood vessels in mammals , 1975, Progress in Neurobiology.

[25]  E. Wolpert.  A Manual of Standardized Terminology, Techniques and Scoring System for Sleep Stages of Human Subjects. , 1969 .