Association of parameters of heart rate variability with severity of bronchial obstruction and presence of pulmonary hypertension in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

: With the aim of assessing parameters of heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rhythm turbulence (HRT) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in dependence on severity of the course of this disease and presence of pulmonary hypertension (PH) we examined 73 patients (28 with COPD and 45 healthy subjects). Invasive measurement of central hemodynamics was conducted. Compared with the control group in patients with COPD we revealed lowering of temporal as well as frequency HRV parameters. No significant changes of HRV parameters depended on severity of COPD course. However a tendency to maximal lowering of HRV parameters was noted in the group of patients with COPD with first sec forced expiratory volume <50%. Comparison of patients with and without PH with controls revealed tendency to maximal lowering of HRV parameters in the PH group. Thus measurement of HRV can be used for supplementary assessment of severity of the disease and detection of PH.