SRINAGARIND MEDICAL JOURNAL

Volume 35, No. 06, Month NOVEMBER, Year 2020, Pages 746 - 752

Relationships between heart rate variability, motor impairments and level of disability in chronic ischemic stroke patients

Natchaya Chondaen, Phannarai Plusiri, Sukunya Srisawad, Sujitra Meesribau, Olan Isariyapan, Phatiwat Chotimol, Duangnapa Roongpiboonsopit, Benjarat Sangthong, Kroekkait Chinda, Waroonnapa Srisoparb

Abstract Download PDF

Background and objective: Cardiac autonomic dysfunction that is measured by heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with motor impairments of acute chronic stroke patients. The purposes of this study were to investigate the association between HRV, motor impairments and disability level in chronic ischemic stroke patients. Methods: Thirteen individuals with chronic stroke (6-72 months) were included. They were required to have the ability to stand independently for at least 5 minutes and could follow 2 step commands. Participants were evaluated their HRV for 20 minutes in supine position. Upper and lower extremities motor impairments and level of disability were assessed by Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS), respectively. Spearman’s correlation coefficients were used to investigate the association between outcome measures. Differences were considered statistically significant at p<0.05. Result: The results showed moderate positive correlations between upper extremity motor impairments (FMA-UEs) and low-frequency power in normal units (LF (nu)) (r=0.622; p=0.02), and low-frequency to high- frequency power (LF/HF) ratio (r=0.561; p=0.04). Furthermore, there were strong negative correlations between level of disability and LF (nu) (r =-0.855; p<0.001), and LF/HF ratio (r=-0.711; p=0.006). Conclusion: HRV of chronic ischemic stroke is associated with upper extremity motor impairments and level of disability.

Keywords

Heart Rate Variability Ischemic Stroke Motor Impairment Disability Level

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