Functional training in postmenopause: Cardiac autonomic modulation and cardiorespiratory parameters, a randomized trial

Abstract

Aim To evaluate the influence of functional training on cardiorespiratory parameters and cardiac autonomic modulation in postmenopausal women. Methods A total of 39 apparently healthy postmenopausal women were randomized into two groups and analyzed: the group that carried out the functional training (FTG; n = 19; age 60 ± 4.5 years; weight 67.64 ± 11.64 kg) for 18 weeks, and the control group (CG) who did not undergo the training (n = 20; age 58.45 ± 4.8 years; weight 66.91 ± 13.24 kg). Blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and autonomic modulation trough heart rate variability were evaluated. The Student's t‐test or Mann–Whitney test were used to compare the differences (P < 0.05). Results The results obtained from the training showed improvement of the following cardiac parameters in the FTG: systolic blood pressure (CG −5.50 ± 12.76 vs FTG −18.36 ± 18.05, P = 0.021), diastolic blood pressure (CG 5.00 ± 20.13 vs FTG −9.47 ± 10.25, P = 0.002), heart rate (CG 7.00 ± 9.79 vs FTG −4.73 ± 8.41, P = 0.000), root mean square of the successive differences index (CG −0.18 ± 5.66 vs FTG 5.10 ± 11.93, P = 0.035) and RR intervals (CG –22.66 ± 75.75 vs FTG 70.17 ± 104.30, P = 0.003). Conclusion Functional training promoted beneficial effects on cardiac autonomic modulation and cardiorespiratory parameters in postmenopausal women. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 823–828.

Autonomic cardiac modulation in postmenopausal women with dry eye syndrome: a cross-sectional analytical study

“…Jones et al 14 analyzed the intensity of menopausal symptoms and HRV and reported a decrease in all HRV indices in both groups of postmenopausal women. Studies with different objectives also reported decreased cardiac autonomic regulation in postmenopausal women 7,9,[16][17][18] .…”

“…HRV allows the quantitative evaluation of autonomic balance and describes interval fluctuations between consecutive RR intervals 4,11 , which can be an additional resource in the evaluation of menopausal women [16][17][18] diagnosed with DES. Menopausal women are more likely to develop this condition, probably due to decreased androgens and estrogen production resulting in Meibomian gland dysfunction, and age-related factors 2,6,9,10 .…”

“…These findings indicate increased parasympathetic tonus, with efficient adaptation of cardiac autonomic modulation and a consequent cardioprotective factor 20 . Rezende Barbosa et al 18 evaluated women practicing functional training and demonstrated that HRV has greater variability in functional training postmenopausal practitioners.…”

“…Regular physical activity represents an important factor to reduce morbidity and mortality rates due to cardiovascular or other causes, being related to improved autonomic control, which has been widely studied through HRV analysis 4,11,16,17 . Different studies 7,[16][17][18] suggest that physical exercise may have a positive relationship with HRV, sometimes reflected by increased vagal regulation, or by a better interaction between sympathetic and parasympathetic components.…”

“…In this context, literature [16][17][18] shows that protocols evaluating HRV after moderate and intense physical activity can provide HRV recovery in postmenopausal women, reestablishing the parasympathetic predominance, especially in women with longer menopausal time. Those authors [16][17][18] also suggest that lifestyle is an essential component to improve HRV parameters. This fact may be a convenient general recommendation to be given by clinician following up menopausal and DES women.…”