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Molfino A, Gallicchio C, Imbimbo G, Melena M, Antonini S, Gigante A, Muscaritoli M. Evaluation of Anorexia in Cancer and Its Association with Autonomic Nervous System Activity Assessed by Heart Rate Variability. Nutrients 2023; 15:4936. [PMID: 38068794 PMCID: PMC10707971 DOI: 10.3390/nu15234936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the central nervous system in cancer patients are pivotal in determining appetite dysregulation and body weight loss (BWL). Autonomic nervous system activity was tested by measuring heart rate variability (HRV) in cancer patients presenting with anorexia. We considered inpatients with different types of cancer and investigated anorexia using their FAACT scores. HRV was evaluated by a three-channel Holter ECG. The domains of low frequencies (LF, sympathetic activity) and high frequencies (HF, parasympathetic activity) were calculated. Also, SDNN (autonomic activity) and RMSSD (parasympathetic activity) were assessed. We enrolled 56 patients with cancer and 23 controls. In cancer patients, RMSSD and SDNN were lower than in controls (p < 0.001 and p = 0.009). Sympathetic activity (LF nu) was lower in cancer patients than in controls (p = 0.023), including sympathovagal balance (LF/HF nu ratio) (p = 0.025). RMSSD was reduced in anorexic (p < 0.001) and non-anorexic (p = 0.003) cancer patients compared to controls. The SDNN was lower in anorexic cancer patients than in non-anorexic cancer patients (p = 0.025), and it was lower in anorexic cancer patients than in controls (p = 0.001). LF nu was lower in anorexic cancer patients than in controls (p = 0.015), as was LF/HF (p = 0.031). SDNN was negatively correlated with BWL in the cancer group (rho = -0.40; p = 0.007). Our data support the hypothesis that autonomic nervous system dysregulation exists in patients with cancer presenting with anorexia, with implications for its diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Molfino
- Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.G.); (G.I.); (M.M.); (S.A.); (A.G.); (M.M.)
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McGovern J, Leadbitter S, Miller G, Hounat A, Kamande I, Dolan RD, Horgan PG, Chang DK, Jamieson NB, McMillan DC. The relationship between heart rate variability and TNM stage, co-morbidity, systemic inflammation and survival in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8157. [PMID: 37208421 PMCID: PMC10198985 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35396-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
High vagal nerve activity, reliability measured by HRV, is considered protective in cancer, reducing oxidative stress, inflammation and opposing sympathetic nerve activity. The present monocentric study examines the relationship between HRV, TNM stage, co-morbidity, systemic inflammation and survival in patients who underwent potentially curative resections for colorectal cancer (CRC). Time-domain HRV measures, Standard Deviation of NN-intervals (SDNN) and Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD), were examined as categorical (median) and continuous variables. Systemic inflammation was determined using systemic inflammatory grade (SIG) and co-morbidity using ASA. The primary end point was overall survival (OS) and was analysed using Cox regression. There were 439 patients included in the study and the median follow-up was 78 months. Forty-nine percent (n = 217) and 48% (n = 213) of patients were categorised as having low SDNN (< 24 ms) and RMSSD (< 29.8 ms), respectively. On univariate analysis, SDNN was not significantly associated with TNM stage (p = 0.830), ASA (p = 0.598) or SIG (p = 0.898). RMSSD was not significantly associated with TNM stage (p = 0.267), ASA (p = 0.294) or SIG (p = 0.951). Neither SDNN or RMSSD, categorical or continuous, were significantly associated with OS. In conclusion, neither SDNN or RMSSD were associated with TNM stage, ASA, SIG or survival in patients undergoing potentially curative surgery for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh McGovern
- Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Level 2, New Lister Building, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK.
| | - Stephen Leadbitter
- Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Level 2, New Lister Building, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK
| | - Gillian Miller
- Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Level 2, New Lister Building, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK
| | - Adam Hounat
- Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Level 2, New Lister Building, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK
| | - Irvine Kamande
- Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Level 2, New Lister Building, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK
| | - Ross D Dolan
- Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Level 2, New Lister Building, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK
| | - Paul G Horgan
- Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Level 2, New Lister Building, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK
| | - David K Chang
- Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Level 2, New Lister Building, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK
| | - Nigel B Jamieson
- Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Level 2, New Lister Building, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK
| | - Donald C McMillan
- Academic Unit of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Level 2, New Lister Building, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK
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Li YT, Yuan WZ, Jin WL. Vagus innervation in the gastrointestinal tumor: Current understanding and challenges. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:188884. [PMID: 36990250 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.188884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
The vagus nerve (VN) is the main parasympathetic nerve of the autonomic nervous system. It is widely distributed in the gastrointestinal tract and maintains gastrointestinal homeostasis with the sympathetic nerve under physiological conditions. The VN communicates with various components of the tumor microenvironment to positively and dynamically affect the progression of gastrointestinal tumors (GITs). The intervention in vagus innervation delays GIT progression. Developments in adeno-associated virus vectors, nanotechnology, and in vivo neurobiological techniques have enabled the creation of precisely regulated "tumor neurotherapies". Furthermore, the combination of neurobiological techniques and single cell sequencing may reveal more insights into VN and GIT. The present review aimed to summarize the mechanisms of communication between the VN and the gastrointestinal TME and to explore the potential and challenges of VN-based tumor neurotherapy in GITs.
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