TY - JOUR
T1 - Nighttime cardiac sympathetic hyper-activation in young primary insomniacs
AU - De Zambotti, M.
AU - Covassin, N.
AU - Sarlo, M.
AU - De Min Tona, G.
AU - Trinder, J.
AU - Stegagno, L.
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments This research was supported by the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
PY - 2013/2
Y1 - 2013/2
N2 - Purpose: A growing literature supports the association between insomnia and cardiovascular risk. Since only few studies have provided empirical evidence of hyper-activation of the cardiovascular system in insomniacs, the aim of the present study was to analyze cardiac autonomic responses in primary insomnia. Methods: Impedance cardiography and heart rate variability (HRV) measures were assessed in 9 insomniacs and 9 good sleepers during a night of polysomnographic recording. Results: Insomniacs were found to be characterized by a constant sympathetic hyper-activation which was maintained all night, as suggested by a faster pre-ejection period (PEP) compared to good sleepers. In addition, only insomniacs showed a strong reduction in heart rate in the transition from wake to sleep. Both groups exhibited a reduction in cardiac output and sympathovagal balance, i.e., reductions in low-frequency/high-frequency ratio and increases in high-frequency normalized units of HRV, across the night. In addition, in our sample, a high physiological sympathetic activation (fast PEP) at night was found to be directly associated with low quality of sleep. Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that a constant cardiac sympathetic hyper-activation throughout the night is a main feature of primary insomnia. Our evidences support the association between insomnia and increased risk for cardiovascular diseases.
AB - Purpose: A growing literature supports the association between insomnia and cardiovascular risk. Since only few studies have provided empirical evidence of hyper-activation of the cardiovascular system in insomniacs, the aim of the present study was to analyze cardiac autonomic responses in primary insomnia. Methods: Impedance cardiography and heart rate variability (HRV) measures were assessed in 9 insomniacs and 9 good sleepers during a night of polysomnographic recording. Results: Insomniacs were found to be characterized by a constant sympathetic hyper-activation which was maintained all night, as suggested by a faster pre-ejection period (PEP) compared to good sleepers. In addition, only insomniacs showed a strong reduction in heart rate in the transition from wake to sleep. Both groups exhibited a reduction in cardiac output and sympathovagal balance, i.e., reductions in low-frequency/high-frequency ratio and increases in high-frequency normalized units of HRV, across the night. In addition, in our sample, a high physiological sympathetic activation (fast PEP) at night was found to be directly associated with low quality of sleep. Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that a constant cardiac sympathetic hyper-activation throughout the night is a main feature of primary insomnia. Our evidences support the association between insomnia and increased risk for cardiovascular diseases.
KW - Autonomic functioning
KW - Cardiovascular activity
KW - Heart rate variability
KW - Hyper-arousal
KW - Insomnia
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84873082512&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84873082512&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10286-012-0178-2
DO - 10.1007/s10286-012-0178-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 22975984
AN - SCOPUS:84873082512
SN - 0959-9851
VL - 23
SP - 49
EP - 56
JO - Clinical Autonomic Research
JF - Clinical Autonomic Research
IS - 1
ER -