Heart rate variability, the dynamic nature of the retinal microvasculature and cardiac stress: providing insight into the brain-retina-heart link: the SABPA study.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Decreased heart-rate-variability (HRV) indicates increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity and modulation with a shift in the sympatho-vagal balance towards SNS predominance. Increased SNS activity may precede volume-loading hypertension, contribute to increases in cardiac troponin T (cTnT), endothelial dysfunction and small vessel disease. Therefore, we investigated the retinal vasculature, HRV during flicker-light-induced-provocation (FLIP) and systemic cTnT, a marker of cardiac stress, to provide further evidence in support of the brain-retina-heart link.

Methods

Cross-sectional observations were obtained from a bi-ethnic cohort (N = 264), aged 23-68 years. Fasting serum samples for cTnT were obtained. Retinal vascular calibres were quantifie

SUBMITTER: Wentzel A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7182573 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature