Application of power spectral analysis of heart rate variability to women with climacteric symptoms

Abstract

Climacteric symptoms are multiple syndromes in menopausal women. It is known that autonomic nervous activity disorder plays an important role in these symptoms. In the present brief review, we report our recent studies of the relation between climacteric symptoms and autonomic nervous system balance measured by power spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) using a standard hexagon radar chart. The sympathetic excitability and irritability, and the standard deviation of mean R-R intervals in the supine position were significantly decreased in women with climacteric symptoms compared to control women without climacteric symptoms. There was a negative correlation (r = -0.363, P = 0.0167) between the standard deviation of mean R-R intervals in the supine position and the simplified menopausal index score. These results show suggest a close relation between climacteric symptoms and autonomic nervous activities, and our power spectral analysis of HRV, which provides a standard hexagonal radar chart composed of three sympathetic and three parasympathetic parameters, may be helpful in the diagnosis and treatment of climacteric symptoms in menopausal women.