Temporal Clustering of Skin Sympathetic Nerve Activity Bursts in Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients.

Chun Liu,Shien-Fong Lin,Wei-Chung Tsai,Chien-Hung Lee

doi:10.3389/fnins.2021.720827

Abstract

Backgrounds: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) affects the autonomic nervous system (ANS) function. The aim of our study is to detect the particular patterns of ANS regulation in AMI. We hypothesize that altered ANS regulation in AMI patients causes synchronized neural discharge (clustering phenomenon) detected by non-invasive skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA).Methods: Forty subjects, including 20 AMI patients and 20 non-AMI controls, participated in the study. The wide-band bioelectrical signals (neuECG) were continuously recorded on the body surface for 5 min. SKNA was signal processed to depict the envelope of SKNA (eSKNA). By labeling the clusters, the AMI subjects were separated into non-AMI, non-cluster appearing (AMINCA), and cluster appearing (AMICA) groups.Results: The average eSKNA was significantly correlated with HRV low-frequency (LF) power (rho = −0.336) and high-frequency power (rho = −0.372). The cross-comparison results demonstrated that eSKNA is a valid surrogate marker to assess ANS in AMI patients. The frequency of cluster occurrence was 0.01–0.03 Hz and the amplitude was about 3 μV. The LF/HF ratio of AMICA (median: 1.877; Q1–Q3: 1.483–2.413) revealed significantly lower than AMINCA (median: 3.959; Q1–Q3: 1.840–6.562). The results suggest that the SKNA clustering is a unique temporal pattern of ANS synchronized discharge, which could indicate the lower sympathetic status (by HRV) in AMI patients.Conclusion: This is the first study to identify SKNA clustering phenomenon in AMI patients. Such a synchronized nerve discharge pattern could be detected with non-invasive SKNA signals. SKNA temporal clustering could be a novel biomarker to classify ANS regulation ability in AMI patients.Clinical and Translational Significance: SKNA is higher in AMI patients than in control and negatively correlates with parasympathetic parameters. SKNA clustering is associated with a lower LF/HF ratio that has been shown to correlate with sudden cardiac death in AMI. The lack of SKNA temporal clustering could indicate poor ANS regulation in AMI patients.

Highlights

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide
We aim to identify the pattern of SKNA clustering and its correlation with other autonomic nervous system (ANS) parameters in AMI patients
AMICA group has significantly lower normalized LF and LF/HF ratio than AMI subjects were separated into non-cluster appearing (AMINCA) group, suggesting that the envelope of SKNA (eSKNA) clustering may indicate the lower sympathetic tone in the AMI patients, which might further reflect the regulation of ANS in AMI

Summary

Introduction

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. AMI causes myocardial necrosis and affects cardiac function. The autonomic regulation and the sudden cardiac death risk stratification of patients with AMI has become an important topic (Barron and Lesh, 1996). Autonomic regulation parameters such as baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability (HRV), and heart rate turbulence are significantly correlated with sudden cardiac death in AMI patients (La Rovere et al, 1998, 2001; Schmidt et al, 1999). The research on autonomic function assessment and prediction in autonomic nerve discharge in AMI patients is clinically relevant to predict patient outcome

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion