Circadian variation in base rate measures of cardiac autonomic activity

Abstract

To investigate the role of the circadian pacemaker in autonomic modulation of base rate cardiac activity, 29 healthy subjects participated in a constant routine protocol. They were randomly divided into two groups in order to manipulate prior wakefulness. Group 1 started at 0900 hours immediately after a monitored sleep period, while group 2 started 12 h later. Measures of interbeat intervals (IBIs), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA, an estimate of parasympathetic activity), pre-ejection period (PEP, an estimate of sympathetic activity), and core body temperature (CBT) were recorded continuously. Multilevel regression analyses (across-subjects) revealed significant 24- and/or 12-h sinusoidal circadian variation for CBT, IBI, and RSA, but not for PEP. Subject-specific 24+12 h sinusoidal fits demonstrated a convergence of phase distribution for IBI and RSA of group 1 similar to CBT, while PEP showed a relatively large (i.e. random) distribution of phase. In group 2, all cardiac measures showed large distributions of phase. Unexpected results in the cardiac measures were found in group 2, probably caused by group differences in prior activation. Also, effects of sleep deprivation were observed for IBI and RSA in group 2. Consequently, all cardiac measures revealed significant sinusoidal x group interactions, a result not shown in CBT. These findings were interpreted as an indication for circadian endogenous parasympathetic modulation of cardiac activity that is mainly confounded by prior wakefulness that extends 24 h, while the sympathetic modulation is relatively uncoupled from the endogenous circadian drive and mainly influenced by prior activation.

Heart rate variability and daytime functioning in insomniacs and normal sleepers: Preliminary results

“…Second, measurements of HRV were obtained under paced breathing during the midday. It has been suggested that HF HRV may be enhanced by paced breathing [32], and as there is a circadian rhythm of HF HRV [33], these results may not necessarily generalize to other times of the day. Third, the two comparison groups differed in their age range, with the insomniac group having a wider age range.…”

Sleep and cardiovascular regulation

“…They identified a circadian variation in a number of variables derived from HR, but only when the protocol commenced early on day 1. If the protocol began in the evening of day 1, the circadian influence was lost, presumably obscured by sleep deprivation influences [70]. Consistent with this, one study using a forced desynchrony protocol has shown a relatively strong circadian system influence over BP (a peak to trough systolic difference of 9 mmHg) [62].…”

Age-Specific Associations between Cardiac Vagal Activity and Functional Somatic Symptoms: A Population-Based Study

“…Because of the circadian rhythm of cardiac vagal activity [25], timing of HRV measurements was standardized in the afternoon. Research assistants who measured HRV were blinded to our study hypotheses.…”