Depression and cardiac dysautonomia in eating disorders

作者：Jelinek Herbert F^*; Spence Ian; Cornforth David J; Tarvainen Mika P; Russell Janice

来源：Eating and Weight Disorders, 2018, 23(3): 369-374.

DOI：10.1007/s40519-017-0363-3

• Eating disorders
• Depression
• Heart rate variability
• Dysautonomia
• Sudden cardiac death

Purpose Individuals with eating disorder (ED) are at an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias due to cardiac dysautonomia, which may be exacerbated if depression is also present. The aim of the study was to use heart rate analysis as a marker for cardiac dysautonomia in patients with eating disorders and depression as a comorbidity.
Methods Clinical data, including presence of depression, was obtained from all participants. A three-lead ECG was used to determine interbeat intervals, and these were analyzed using time domain, frequency domain, and nonlinear heart rate variability measures.
Results Thirty ED patients and 44 healthy controls participated in the research. The presence of depression was associated with additional decreased time domain (RMSSD 36.8 +/- 26 vs. 22.9 +/- 12.3; p< 0.05), frequency domain (HF power 788 +/- 075 vs. 279 +/-+/- 61; p< 0.05), and nonlinear domain (DFAa alpha 0.82 +/-+/-.1 vs. 0.97 +/-+/-.1; /p0.01) which results in the ED group compared to patients with no depression.
Conclusions The presence of depression in ED patients decreased HRV even further compared to the non-depressed patient group and controls, suggesting that higher vigilance and a holistic treatment approach may be required for these patients to avoid cardiac arrhythmia complications.

• 出版日期2018-6