Abstract
BackgroundA positive correlation between ECG derived QRS duration and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters had previously been reported in young healthy adults. We note this study used a narrow QRS duration range, and did not adjust for systolic blood pressure. Our aims are to investigate associations between systolic blood pressure (SBP), QRS duration and HRV in a rural aging population.MethodsA retrospective cross sectional population was obtained from the CSU Diabetes Screening Research Initiative data base where 200 participants had no diabetes or pre-diabetes. SBP data were matched with ECG derived QRS duration and HRV parameters. HRV parameters were calculated from R-R intervals. Resting 12-lead electrocardiograms were obtained from each subject using a Welch Allyn PC-Based ECG system.ResultsPearson correlation analysis revealed no statistically significant associations between HRV parameters and QRS duration. No significant mean differences in HRV parameter subgroups across defined QRS cut-offs were found. SBP > 146 mmHg was associated with increasing QRS durations, however this association disappeared once models were adjusted for age and gender. SBP was also significantly associated with a number of HRV parameters using Pearson correlation analysis, including high frequency (HF) (p < 0.05), HFln (p < 0.02), RMSDD (p < 0.02) and non-linear parameters; ApEN (p < 0.001) were negatively correlated with increasing SBP while the low frequency to high frequency ratio (LF/HF) increased with increasing SBP (p < 0.03).ConclusionsOur results do not support associations between ECG derived R-R derived HRV parameters and QRS duration in aging populations. We suggest that ventricular conduction as determined by QRS duration is independent of variations in SA-node heart rate variability.
Highlights
A positive correlation between ECG derived QRS duration and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters had previously been reported in young healthy adults
Sensitivity analysis showed that HRV outliers had no influence on the association between HRV parameters and QRS duration
We further assessed the relationship between HRV and QRS duration using Pearson correlation, no significant associations in HRV and QRS duration were observed
Summary
A positive correlation between ECG derived QRS duration and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters had previously been reported in young healthy adults. We note this study used a narrow QRS duration range, and did not adjust for systolic blood pressure. Our aims are to investigate associations between systolic blood pressure (SBP), QRS duration and HRV in a rural aging population. Ventricular activation is responsible for the generation of the ECG derived QRS complex [2]. S-A node activation and cardiac autonomic contributions to the SAnode are typically studied via electrocardiogram (ECG) derived R–R intervals (around a mean value), using heart rate variability (HRV) [3, 4]. Whether there are interactions between these physiological changes with aging has not been previously explored in a community setting
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