Hyperoxic chemoreflex sensitivity is impaired in patients with neurocardiogenic syncope

Respiratory and heart rate dynamics during peripheral chemoreceptor deactivation compared to targeted sympathetic and sympathetic/parasympathetic (co-)activation

BACKGROUND

The importance of peripheral chemoreceptors for cardiorespiratory neural control is known for decades. Pure oxygen inhalation deactivates chemoreceptors and increases parasympathetic outflow. However, the relationship between autonomic nervous system (ANS) activation and resulting respiratory as well as heart rate (HR) dynamics is still not fully understood.

METHODS

In young adults the impact of (1) 100 % pure oxygen inhalation (hyperoxic cardiac chemoreflex sensitivity (CHRS) testing), (2) the cold face test (CFT) and (3) the cold pressor test (CPT) on heart rate variability (HRV), hemodynamics and respiratory rate was investigated in randomized order. Baseline ANS outflow was determined assessing respiratory sinus arrhythmia via deep breathing, baroreflex sensitivity and HRV.

RESULTS

Baseline ANS outflow was normal in all participants (23 ± 1 years, 7 females, 3 males). Hyperoxic CHRS testing decreased HR (after 60 ± 3 vs before 63 ± 3 min^-1, p = 0.004), while increasing total peripheral resistance (1053 ± 87 vs 988 ± 76 dyne*s + m²/cm⁵, p = 0.02) and mean arterial blood pressure (93 ± 4 vs 91 ± 4 mm Hg, p = 0.02). HRV indicated increased parasympathetic outflow after hyperoxic CHRS testing accompanied by a decrease in respiratory rate (15 ± 1vs 19 ± 1 min^-1, p = 0.001). In contrast, neither CFT nor CPT altered the respiratory rate (18 ± 1 vs 18 ± 2 min^-1, p = 0.38 and 18 ± 1 vs 18 ± 1 min^-1, p = 0.84, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Changes in HR characteristics during deactivation of peripheral chemoreceptors but not during the CFT and CPT are related with a decrease in respiratory rate. This highlights the need of respiratory rate assessment when evaluating adaptations of cardiorespiratory chemoreceptor control.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is reduced after pulmonary vein isolation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

INTRODUCTION

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) describes heart rate (HR) changes in synchrony with respiration. It is relevant for exercise capacity and mechanistically linked with the cardiac autonomic nervous system. After pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), the current therapy of choice for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), the cardiac vagal tone is often diminished. We hypothesized that RSA is modulated by PVI in patients with paroxysmal AF.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia, measured by using a deep breathing test and heart rate variability parameters, was studied in 10 patients (64 ±3 years) with paroxysmal AF presenting in stable sinus rhythm for their first catheter-based PVI. Additionally, heart rate dynamics before and after PVI were studied during sympathetic/parasympathetic coactivation by using a cold-face test. All tests were performed within 24 h before and 48 h after PVI.

RESULTS

After PVI RSA (E/I difference: 7.9 ±1.0 vs. 3.5 ±0.6 bpm, p = 0.006; E/I ratio: 1.14 ±0.02 vs. 1.05 ±0.01, p = 0.003), heart rate variability (SDNN: 31 ±3 vs. 14 ±3 ms, p = 0.006; RMSSD: 17 ±2 vs. 8 ±2 ms, p = 0.002) and the HR response to sympathetic/parasympathetic coactivation (10.2 ±0.7% vs. 5.7 ±1.1%, p = 0.014) were diminished. The PVI-related changes in RSA correlated with the heart rate change during sympathetic/parasympathetic coactivation before vs. after PVI (E/I difference: r = 0.849, p = 0.002; E/I ratio: r = 0.786, p = 0.007). One patient with vagal driven arrhythmia experienced AF recurrence during follow-up (mean: 6.5 ±0.6 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is reduced after PVI in patients with paroxysmal AF. Our findings suggest that this is related to a decrease in cardiac vagal tone. Whether and how this affects the clinical outcome including exercise capacity need to be determined.

Impact of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Left Ventricular Systolic Loading and Coronary Flow Reserve in Healthy Young Men

BACKGROUND

Increased augmentation index (AIx) is accompanied by an elevated cardiovascular risk. A reduction of AIx is known for long-term continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. We hypothesised that acute preload and left ventricular workload effects AIx and subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR) as a marker of coronary flow reserve.

METHODS

Increased augmentation index and central blood pressure parameters were measured by radial artery tonometry in 17 healthy men (32/±6years) at rest and during CPAP ventilation at pressures of 5, 10mbar and after recovery. In a subset of seven individuals, haemodynamic parameters and autonomic function were additionally examined using combined impedance cardiography and continuous noninvasive blood pressure monitoring.

RESULTS

Continuous positive airway pressure reduced heart rate corrected (AIx@75) (-2.8±8.1 [rest] to -10.7±11.3 [5mbar], p<0.01, to -12.2±10.5% [10mbar], p<0.01) and systolic time integral as a marker of left ventricular workload (2115±231 [rest] to 1978±290 [5mbar], p=0.02 to 1940±218 [10mbar], p<0.01 to 2013±241mmHg/s per min [recovery], p=0.03), while central systolic pressure did not change during CPAP. Total Peripheral Resistance Index increased reaching level of significance at 10mbar CPAP condition (1701±300 [rest] to 1850±301dyn*s*m²/cm⁵ [10mbar], p=0.04). There was a reversible increase of SEVR under CPAP conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

Continuous positive airway pressure ventilation acutely reduces AIx, heart rate and left ventricular workload in healthy young men. These effects seem to be mediated by left ventricular filling pressure, workload and reflection wave. Furthermore, we found an increase of subendocardial viability ratio as an indication for a rising coronary flow reserve by CPAP.

Hyperoxia Improves Hemodynamic Status During Head-up Tilt Testing in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized Study

Head-up tilt test is useful for exploring neurally mediated syncope. Adenosine is an ATP derivative implicated in cardiovascular disturbances that occur during head-up tilt test. The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of hyperoxia on adenosine plasma level and on hemodynamic changes induced by head-up tilt testing.Seventeen healthy male volunteers (mean age 35 ± 11 years) were included in the study. The experiment consisted of 2 head-up tilt tests, 1 session with subjects breathing, through a mask, medical air (FiO2 = 21%) and 1 session with administration of pure oxygen (FiO2 = 100%) in double-blind manner. Investigations included continuous monitoring of hemodynamic data and measurement of plasma adenosine levels.No presyncope or syncope was found in 15 of the 17 volunteers. In these subjects, a slight decrease in systolic blood pressure was recorded during orthostatic stress performed under medical air exposure. In contrast, hyperoxia led to increased systolic blood pressure during orthostatic stress when compared with medical air. Furthermore, mean adenosine plasma levels decreased during hyperoxic exposure before (0.31 ± 0.08 μM) and during head-up tilt test (0.33 ± 0.09 μM) when compared with baseline (0.6 ± 0.1 μM). Adenosine plasma level was unchanged during medical air exposure at rest (0.6 ± 0.1 μM), and slightly decreased during orthostatic stress. In 2 volunteers, the head-up tilt test induced a loss of consciousness when breathing air. In these subjects, adenosine plasma level increased during orthostatic stress. In contrast, during hyperoxic exposure, the head-up tilt test did not induce presyncope or syncope. In these 2 volunteers, biological study demonstrated a decrease in adenosine plasma level at both baseline and during orthostatic stress for hyperoxic exposure compared with medical air.These results suggest that hyperoxia was able to increase blood pressure during head-up tilt test via a decrease in plasma adenosine concentration. Our results also suggest that adenosine receptor antagonists are worth trying in neurocardiogenic syncope.

POTS following traumatic stress: interacting central and intracardiac neural control?

Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction is one of the most overlooked complications in patients with diabetes. We report the case of a 19-year-old woman with a 4-year history of diabetes referred due to palpitations and light-headedness following traumatic stress. Rise of heart rate and blood pressure during tilt table testing indicated hyperadrenergic postural orthstatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Elevated blood pressure variability, an indirect parameter of increased sympathetic activity, remained almost stable during orthostatic stress. Short-term treatment with ivabradine in combination with psychosocial support alleviated POTS-related symptoms. Our findings suggest that traumatic stress in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus might translate into disturbed neural heart rate control due to a central, ephemeral alteration in autonomic balance.

Wearable sensors in syncope management

Syncope is a common disorder with a lifetime prevalence of about 40%. Implantable cardiac electronic devices, including implantable loop recorders (ILR) and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD), are well established in syncope management. However, despite the successful use of ILR and ICD, diagnosis and therapy still remain challenging in many patients due to the complex hemodynamic interplay of cardiac and vascular adaptations during impending syncopes. Wearable sensors might overcome some limitations, including misdiagnosis and inappropriate defibrillator shocks, because a variety of physiological measures can now be easily acquired by a single non-invasive device at high signal quality. In neurally-mediated syncope (NMS), which is the most common cause of syncope, advanced signal processing methodologies paved the way to develop devices for early syncope detection. In contrast to the relatively benign NMS, in arrhythmia-related syncopes immediate therapeutical intervention, predominantly by electrical defibrillation, is often mandatory. However, in patients with a transient risk of arrhythmia-related syncope, limitations of ICD therapy might outweigh their potential therapeutic benefits. In this context the wearable cardioverter-defibrillator offers alternative therapeutical options for some high-risk patients. Herein, we review recent evidence demonstrating that wearable sensors might be useful to overcome some limitations of implantable devices in syncope management.

Normobaric hyperoxia alters the microcirculation in healthy volunteers

The use of high concentrations of inhaled oxygen has been associated with adverse effects but recent data suggest a potential therapeutic role of normobaric hyperoxia (NH) in sepsis and cerebral ischemia. Hyperoxia may induce vasoconstriction and alter endothelial function, so we evaluated its effects on the microcirculation in 40 healthy adult volunteers using side-stream dark field (SDF) video-microscopy on the sublingual area and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) on the thenar eminence. In a first group of volunteers (n=18), measurements were taken every 30 min: at baseline in air, during NH (close to 100% oxygen via a non-rebreathing mask) and during recovery in air. In a second group (n=22), NIRS measurements were taken in NH or ambient air on two separate days to prevent any potential influence of repeated NIRS measurements. NH significantly decreased the proportion of perfused vessels (PPV) from 92% to 66%, perfused vessel density (PVD) from 11.0 to 7.3 vessels/mm, perfused small vessel density (PSVD) from 9.0 to 5.8 vessels/mm and microvascular flow index (MFI) from 2.8 to 2.0, and increased PPV heterogeneity from 7.5% to 30.4%. Thirty minutes after return to air, PPV, PVD, PSVD and MFI remained partially altered. During NH, NIRS descending slope and NIRS muscle oxygen consumption (VO2) decreased from 8.5 to 7.9%/s and 127 to 103 units, respectively, in the first group and from 10.7 to 9.4%/s and 150 to 115 units in the second group. NH, therefore, alters the microcirculation in healthy subjects, decreasing capillary perfusion and VO2 and increasing the heterogeneity of the perfusion.

Modulation of peripheral chemoreflex by neurohumoral adaptations after kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND

Peripheral chemoreceptors residing predominantly in the carotid body monitor changes in arterial blood oxygen and are mechanistically linked to the cardiorespiratory control by the autonomic nervous system. Enhanced sympathetic activation is common in end-stage renal disease and kidney transplantation has been shown to improve cardiorespiratory reflex measures of autonomic function.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the present study was to test whether improvement in renal function following kidney transplantation is related to an improvement in chemosensory function.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We compared hyperoxic chemoreflex sensitivity (CHRS) in patients after renal transplantation (RTX) to that in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD), and that of age- and gender-matched healthy controls. In addition, we investigated the impact of common confounding factors including pharmacological neurohumoral modulation and diabetes mellitus. The difference in the R-R intervals divided by the difference in the oxygen pressures before and after deactivation of the chemoreceptors by 5-min inhalation of 7 L oxygen was calculated as the hyperoxic CHRS. Autonomic activity was characterized by 24-h time-domain heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. CHRS was improved in RTX patients as compared to HD patients being related to HRV. CHRS was related to the concomitant presence of diabetes and medication with cyclosporine.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that chemosensory activity following kidney transplantation is related to cardiac autonomic control, but functional testing might only be useful to characterize the time course and extent of sympathetic activation in selected patients due to existing co-morbidities and immunosuppressive medication in this population.

Sympathetic hyperactivity influences chemosensor function in patients with end-stage renal disease

Background

Autonomic neuropathy is common in patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This may in part explain the high cardiovascular mortality in these patients. Chemosensory function is involved in autonomic cardiovascular control and is mechanistically linked to the sympathetic tone.

Objective

The aim of the present study was to assess whether sympathetic hyperactivity contributes to an altered chemosensory function in ESRD.

Materials and methods

In a randomized, double-masked, placebo controlled crossover design we studied the impact of chemosensory deactivation on heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation in 10 ESRD patients and 10 age and gender matched controls. The difference in the R-R intervals divided by the difference in the oxygen pressures before and after deactivation of the chemoreceptors by 5-min inhalation of 7 L oxygen was calculated as the hyperoxic chemoreflex sensitivity (CHRS). Placebo consisted of breathing room air. Baseline sympathetic activity was characterized by plasma catecholamine levels and 24-h time-domain heart rate variability (HRV) parameters.

Results

Plasma norepinephrine levels were increased (1.6 ± 0.4 vs. 5.8 ± 0.6; P < 0.05) while the SDNN (standard deviation of all normal R-R intervals: 126.4 ± 19 vs. 100.2 ± 12 ms), the RMSSD (square root of the mean of the squared differences between adjacent normal R-R intervals: 27.1 ± 8 vs. 15.7 ± 2 ms), and the 24-h triangular index (33.6 ± 4 vs. 25.7 ± 3; each P < 0.05) were decreased in ESRD patients as compared to controls. CHRS was impaired in ESRD patients (2.9 ± 0.9 ms/mmHg, P < 0.05) as compared to controls (7.9 ± 1.4 ms/mmHg). On multiple regression analysis 24 h-Triangular index, RMSSD, and plasma norepinephrine levels were independent predictors of an impaired hyperoxic CHRS.

Conclusion

Sympathetic hyperactivity influences chemosensory function in ESRD resulting in an impaired hyperoxic CHRS.