HEART RATE VARIABILITY OF ONE MINUTE CONTROLLED DEEP BREATHING IN OBESE INDIVIDUALS

BACKGROUND Obesity, an evolving metabolic disease, has become the most common risk factor for Non-communicable diseases. The increased morbidity and mortality in these diseases are due to autonomic imbalance1. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis is a tool to assess the cardiovascular autonomic function. Although, many methods are there to study the relationship between obesity and autonomic function, HRV plays an easy, simple, noninvasive and effective method.AIMOBJECTIVE To evaluate and compare cardio-respiratory interactions using HRV in respiratory m a n e u v e r s a m o n g O b e s e a n d n o n - o b e s e individuals.MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY After twenty minutes of supine rest, ECG (Lead II) was acquired during one minute controlled deep breathing at 6 breathes per minute and instantaneous RR intervals were analysed using Finland software for HRV. Time domain measures of obese were compared with age and gender matched non-obese group. Time domain measures SDNN (Standard Deviation of NN interval in ms), RMSSD (Root Mean Square of Standard Deviation in ms), NN50, p NN50 () and Deep breathing maximum (DB max) were taken for analysis.RESULT In Obese, Mean HR increased and Mean RR decreased significantly. There is a significant decrease in SDNN , RMSSD, NN50, pNN50() in Obese compared to Non obese. Deep breathing ratio is also significantly decreased in obese.CONCLUSION Obese individuals found to have impaired cardiovagal dysfunction characterized by depressed parasympathetic activity.