Multiple metabolic syndrome is associated with lower heart rate variability. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

• Published in: Diabetes care Vol. 21; no. 12; pp. 2116 - 2122
• Main Authors: DUANPING LIAO, SLOAN, R. P, CASCIO, W. E, FOLSOM, A. R, LIESE, A. D, EVANS, G. W, CAI, J, SHARRETT, A. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA American Diabetes Association 01.12.1998
• Subjects: Arteriosclerosis - epidemiology; Arteriosclerosis - prevention & control; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Pressure; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Cohort Studies; Data collection; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - physiopathology; Electrocardiography; Female; Heart attacks; Heart rate; Heart Rate - physiology; Humans; Hyperlipidemias - physiopathology; Hypertension; Hypertension - physiopathology; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic syndrome; Middle Aged; Research design; Risk Factors; Syndrome; United States - epidemiology; Weightlessness; United States; Endocrinopathy; Human; Hypertension; Autonomous system; Multiple; Pathophysiology; Variability; Cardiovascular disease; Metabolic diseases; Lipids; Non insulin dependent diabetes; Vascular disease; Heart rate; Concomitant disease; Atherosclerosis; Risk factor; Complication; Dyslipemia
• ISSN: 0149-5992; 1935-5548
• DOI: 10.2337/diacare.21.12.2116

Multiple metabolic syndrome is associated with lower heart rate variability. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. D Liao , R P Sloan , W E Cascio , A R Folsom , A D Liese , G W Evans , J Cai and A R Sharrett Department of Health Evaluation Sciences, Penn State Medical College, Hershey 17033, USA. dliao@psu.edu Abstract OBJECTIVE: To test at the population level whether people with multiple metabolic syndrome (MMS) disorders have reduced cardiac autonomic activity (CAA). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We examined the association between the level of CAA and MMS disorders, at the degree of clustering and the segregate combination levels, using a random sample of 2,359 men and women aged 45-64 years from the biracial, population-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Supine resting 2-min beat-to-beat heart rate data were collected. High-frequency (HF) (0.15-0.35 Hz) and low-frequency (LF) (0.025-0.15 Hz) spectral powers, the ratio of LF to HF, and the SD of all normal R-R intervals (SDNN) were used as the conventional indices of heart rate variability (HRV) to measure CAA. The MMS disorders included hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia. RESULTS: HRV indices were significantly lower in individuals with MMS disorders. The multivariable adjusted mean HF was 0.85 (beat/min)2 in subjects with all three MMS disorders, in contrast to 1.31 (beat/min)2 in subjects without any MMS disorder. At the segregated combination level, the multivariable adjusted means +/- SEM of HF were 1.34 +/- 0.05, 1.16 +/- 0.05, 1.01 +/- 0.17, and 1.34 +/- 0.05 (beat/min)2, respectively, for subjects without any MMS disorder, with hypertension only, with diabetes only, and with dyslipidemia only, and the means +/- SEM of HF were 0.93 +/- 0.04, 0.70 +/- 0.15, and 1.20 +/- 0.05 (beat/min)2, respectively, for subjects with diabetes and hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia, and hypertension and dyslipidemia. An increase in fasting insulin of 1 SD was associated with 88% higher odds of having a lower HF. The pattern of associations was similar for LF and SDNN. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that MMS disorders adversely affect cardiac autonomic control and a reduced cardiac autonomic control may contribute to the increased risk of subsequent cardiovascular events in individuals who exhibit MMS disorders.