Lower heart rate variability predicts increased level of C-reactive protein 4 years later in healthy, nonsmoking adults.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Prospective longitudinal cohort study
PubMed 25141771 · doi:10.1111/joim.12295
What was done
A prospective cohort study evaluated 106 healthy, nonsmoking employees (9% women, mean age 44.4 ± 8 years) assessed in 2007 and followed up in 2011. Blood samples for C-reactive protein (CRP) and ambulatory nighttime high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) were measured. Analyses used bootstrapped bivariate correlations and partial Pearson correlations adjusted for baseline age, sex, and body mass index.
What was found
Higher HF-HRV negatively correlated with CRP in 2007 (r = -0.19, P < 0.05) and in 2011 (r = -0.34, P < 0.001). After adjusting for baseline sex, age, and body mass index, baseline HF-HRV remained a significant predictor of CRP at 4-year follow-up (partial Pearson correlation = -0.20, P < 0.05).
Why it matters
These findings provide prospective human evidence that lower vagally mediated heart rate variability precedes elevated systemic inflammation, supporting the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.
Limits
The sample size is relatively small (n = 106) and heavily skewed toward men (91%). Residual confounding from lifestyle factors (e.g., diet, exercise, sleep) was not accounted for in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Higher heart rate variability (HRV) correlates long-term with a healthier cardiovascular and nervous system.