The Effect of Marine n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Heart Rate Variability in Renal Transplant Recipients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Resting heart rate (rHR) and heart rate variability (HRV) are non-invasive measurements that predict the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation may decrease rHR, increase HRV, and reduce the risk of SCD. To date, no studies have investigated the effect of marine n-3 PUFA on HRV in renal transplant recipients. In a randomized controlled trial, 132 renal transplant recipients were randomized to receive either three 1 g capsules of marine n-3 PUFA, each containing 460 mg/g EPA and 380 mg/g DHA, or control (olive oil) for 44 weeks. HRV was calculated in the time and frequency domains during a conventional cardiovascular reflex test (response to standing, deep breathing, and Valsalva maneuver) and during 2 min of resting in the supine position. There was no significant effect of marine n-3 PUFA supplementation on time-domain HRV compared with controls. rHR decreased 3.1 bpm (± 13.1) for patients receiving marine n-3 PUFA compared to 0.8 (± 11.0) in controls (p = 0.28). In the frequency domain HRV analyses, there was a significant change in response to standing in both high and low frequency measures, 2.9 (p = 0.04, 95% CI (1.1;8)) and 2.7 (p = 0.04, 95% CI (1.1;6.5)), respectively. In conclusion, 44 weeks of supplemental marine n-3 PUFAs in renal transplant recipients significantly improved the cardiac autonomic function, assessed by measuring HRV during conventional cardiovascular reflex tests.

A Proposal for a Data-Driven Approach to the Influence of Music on Heart Dynamics

“…Given that HRV is linked to autonomic cardiac control, it has been studied as a marker for diverse diseases ( 2 ), both physical ( 3 ) and psychological ( 4 )—e.g., for coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke ( 5 ). HRV has been used to observe, among other indicators, the effects of medicines ( 6 , 7 ), emotional responses ( 8 ), and the impact of exercise ( 9 ). Research has shown that HRV is affected by stress, as a result of low parasympathetic activity; stress reflects a sympathetic dominance ( 10 ), while relaxation states are associated with parasympathetic dominance ( 11 , 12 ).…”