Influence of Smoking Consumption and Nicotine Dependence Degree in Cardiac Autonomic Modulation

Abstract

BackgroundSmoking consumption alters cardiac autonomic function.ObjectiveAssess the influence of the intensity of smoking and the nicotine dependence degree in cardiac autonomic modulation evaluated through index of heart rate variability (HRV).Methods83 smokers, of both genders, between 50 and 70 years of age and with normal lung function were divided according to the intensity of smoking consumption (moderate and severe) and the nicotine dependency degree (mild, moderate and severe). The indexes of HRV were analyzed in rest condition, in linear methods in the time domain (TD), the frequency domain (FD) and through the Poincaré plot. For the comparison of smoking consumption, unpaired t test or Mann-Whitney was employed. For the analysis between the nicotine dependency degrees, we used the One-way ANOVA test, followed by Tukey's post test or Kruskal-Wallis followed by Dunn's test. The significance level was p < 0,05.ResultsDifferences were only found when compared to the different intensities of smoking consumption in the indexes in the FD. LFun (62.89 ± 15.24 vs 75.45 ± 10.28), which corresponds to low frequency spectrum component in normalized units; HFun (37.11 ± 15.24 vs 24.55 ± 10.28), which corresponds to high frequency spectrum component in normalized units and in the LF/HF ratio (2.21 ± 1.47 vs 4.07 ± 2.94). However, in the evaluation of nicotine dependency, significant differences were not observed (p > 0.05).ConclusionOnly the intensity of smoking consumption had an influence over the cardiac autonomic modulation of the assessed tobacco smokers. Tobacco smokers with severe intensity of smoking consumption presented a lower autonomic modulation than those with moderate intensity.

Qualidade do Sono Associada ao Nível Habitual de Atividade Física e Sistema Nervoso Autônomo de Fumantes

“…13,14,52-54 Bodin et al, 52 avaliaram fumantes em períodos durante os quais eles consumiram e não consumiram cigarros por 12 horas, e observaram que, depois de fumar, os participantes apresentaram redução de VFC, com uma redução de HF e intervalos de RR quando comparados a períodos em que não fumaram. Em fumantes pesados, Santos et al, 14 observaram aumento de índice de LF (un) e de LF/HF, e a diminuição do índice HF (un) e da razão SD1/SD2, em comparação com fumantes moderados.…”

“…Essas alterações produzem a diminuição da frequência cardíaca e o aumento da variabilidade de frequência cardíaca (VFC). 11,12 Fumantes apresentam alterações no SNA caracterizadas por reduções de modulação parassimpática, 13,14 o que sugere que, além de os fumantes apresentarem distúrbios do sono devido ao consumo de cigarros, a redução da modulação parassimpática nesses indivíduos também pode afetar a qualidade do sono.…”

Clinical and psychophysiological features of smoking and depression (preliminary results)

“…In addition, recent research has shown that smokers have decreased heart rate variability (HRV), which could be related to increased depression [9][10][11][12][13] . HRV refers to the natural variation of the frequency, that is, the difference in the interval between successive cardiac contractions 14,15 .…”

Heart Rate Recovery and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

“…I have read, with great interest, the article entitled "Influence of Smoking Consumption and Nicotine Dependence Degree in Cardiac Autonomic Modulation" by Santos et al., 1 recently published in Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia 2016; 106: 510-8. The reseearchers reported that only the intensity of smoking consumption had influences over cardiac autonomic modulation of the evaluated smokers.…”

“…Smokers with severe smoking consumption intensity presented worse autonomic modulation than moderate ones. 1 …”