Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Scientific Reports, 14(1), 31099. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82411-w Dr. Aldair Darlan Santos-de-Araújo et al.
Points
- Researchers found that heart rate variability was significantly reduced within six weeks after mild COVID-19 infection. Gradual recovery was observed over 12 months, but there was no full return to baseline.
- Participants recently infected showed decreased parasympathetic modulation compared to controls, indicating impaired autonomic function early after infection, while later groups displayed partial improvement over time.
- Statistical analysis showed that infection duration and age were strong predictors of HRV changes, while common clinical factors like BMI, hypertension, and dyslipidemia had no significant effect.
- Reduced parasympathetic activity and sympathetic dominance persisted months after a mild infection, suggesting ongoing stress on the cardiovascular system even in non-hospitalized COVID-19 cases.
- The findings support the need for long-term follow-up and rehabilitation strategies for mild COVID-19 survivors to monitor and manage potential cardiovascular risks linked to autonomic imbalance.
Summary
This study aimed to investigate the impact of mild COVID-19 on heart rate variability (HRV) across different time points post-infection. A total of 130 participants, aged 40 on average, were grouped based on the time since their infection: ≤6 weeks (Group 1), 2–6 months (Group 2), and 7–12 months (Group 3), with a control group of uninfected individuals. The study utilized both linear and non-linear HRV analysis methods, and the results indicated that HRV was significantly lower in the early post-infection phase (Group 1) compared to the control group, with a gradual recovery observed over the following months. Group 1 showed notably decreased parasympathetic modulation compared to the control group (p < 0.05), while Groups 2 and 3 exhibited improvements, though they did not fully recover to baseline HRV levels.
Multiple regression models identified age and infection duration as significant predictors for HRV parameters, including RMSSD and SD1, with adjusted R^2 values of 0.227 and 0.242, respectively. Infection duration was a significant factor in predicting HRV, especially for high-frequency (HF) components (adjusted R^2 = 0.143). Other clinical factors, such as BMI, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, were non-significant in all models. The results showed that parasympathetic modulation, essential for proper cardiovascular function, remained impaired even months after infection, emphasizing the transient but significant impact of COVID-19 on the autonomic nervous system.
The study highlights the need for rehabilitation programs, even for individuals who experienced mild COVID-19 and did not require hospitalization. The observed reduction in HRV and shift towards sympathetic dominance could increase the likelihood of cardiovascular issues in the future. This transient autonomic imbalance may be resolved with time, but continued monitoring is advised to prevent long-term cardiovascular complications.
Link to the article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-82411-w
References Santos-de-Araújo, A. D., Bassi-Dibai, D., Marinho, R. S., Dourado, I. M., de Almeida, L. V., de Sousa dos Santos, S., Phillips, S. A., & Borghi-Silva, A. (2024). Impact of COVID-19 on heart rate variability in post-COVID individuals compared to a control group. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 31099. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82411-w
