Does cardiac denervation affect the short-term blood pressure variability in humans?

Objective: To explore the repercussion of cardiac denervation on the short-term blood pressure variability in humans, in order to assess the extent to which the variability of blood pressure is linked to the variability of heart rate. Methods: Beat-to-beat blood pressure and RR interval time were recorded in 16 heart-transplanted patients and were compared with those of 10 healthy control subjects in the resting supine, sitting and standing positions. Blood pressure and RR interval variabilities were assessed by spectral analysis. Results: The total blood pressure power and the supine and sitting very low-frequency, low-frequency and high-frequency blood pressure variability were similar in the heart-transplanted patients and in the controls, despite a marked reduction in the RR interval variability in the heart-transplanted patients