PhD Scientific Days 2023

Clinical Medicine - Posters I

Relationship between Short-term Heart Rate Variability and Fitness Parameters among Youth National Water Polo Players

Text of the abstract

Introduction: Physical fitness is a complex outcome of long- and short term cardiovascular-, respiratory-, metabolic- and neurohormonal adaptation to exercise.
Aim: We aimed to correlate short-term heart rate variability (HRV) variables characterizing autonomic regulation, with various fitness parameters among youth elite athletes.
Method: Time (AVRR, SDRR, RMSSD pNN50) and frequency domain (LFpow, HFpow, LF/HF ratio) parameters of HRV were examined during 5-minute supine, resting position, followed by maximal intensity cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). Data analysis was carried out with Kubios and SPSS softwares.
Result: 200 youth national water polo players (age: 16.3±1.8y; training: 15.6±4.9h/w, m: 100) were examined. Average resting heart rate was 66.6±10.7 BPM. Average HRV data were: AVNN: 924.0±146.4ms; SDNN:69.0±34.8ms; RMSSD:77.6±49.3ms; pNN50:39.2±23.7%; LFpow:2029.1±2039.7ms2; HFpow:2862.7±3908.3ms2; LF/HF:1.4±1.3. Weak correlations were found between the HRV parameters, training hours and anthropometric data. No significant differences could be observed in the examined HRV parameters by sexes, only in HFpow (m:2235.9±2649.0ms2, f:3489.4±4779.8ms2, p=0.012) and LF/HF (m:1.7±1.5, f:1.2±1.1, p=0.003). Regarding the CPET, correlations were found in female athletes between AVNN, SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, HFpow and the oxygen uptake (VO2) measured at the anaerobic threshold; and pNN50 and maximal VO2. Among male athletes, significant interactions were only found between LFpow and VO2 at the anaerobic threshold; and AVNN and maximal VO2. Maximal heart rate showed significant correlation with resting AVNN in both sexes (m: r=-0.359, p<0.001; f: r=-0.265, p=0.008). Heart rate reserve showed strong correlations with all HRV parameters. The HRV parameters not or only weakly correlated with heart rates at anaerobic threshold, 1-minute heart rate recovery, maximal lactate levels and maximal ventilation.
Conclusion: By our results, short-term some HRV measurements show correlations with some CPET results. However, weak correlations were found between HRV, age and resting parameters of physical fitness. Individual follow-up of resting HRV parameters beside CPET results could be a promising method in the follow-up of personal changes in physical fitness.
Funding: RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00004; K135076; TKP2021-NKTA-46; EFOP-3.6.3-VEKOP-16-2017-00009; ÚNKP-22-3-II-SE-47