Dataset Information

Skin sympathetic nerve activity as a biomarker for syncopal episodes during a tilt table test.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Autonomic imbalance is the proposed mechanism of syncope during a tilt table test (TTT). We have recently demonstrated that skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA) can be noninvasively recorded using electrocardiographic electrodes.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that increased SKNA activation precedes tilt-induced syncope.

Methods

We studied 50 patients with a history of neurocardiogenic syncope undergoing a TTT. The recorded signals were band-pass filtered at 500-1000 Hz to analyze nerve activity.

Results

The average SKNA (aSKNA) value at baseline was 1.38 ± 0.38 μV in patients without syncope and 1.42 ± 0.52 μV in patients with syncope (P = .77). On upright tilt, aSKNA was 1.34 ± 0.40 μV in patients who did not have syncope and 1.39 ± 0.43 μV in patients who had syncope (P = .65). In all 14 patients with syncope, there was a surge of SKNA before an initial increase in heart rate followed by bradycardia, hypotension, and syncope. The peak aSKNA immediately (<1 minute) before syncope was significantly higher than baseline aSKNA (2.63 ± 1.22 vs 1.39 ± 0.43 μV; P = .0005). After syncope, patients were immediately placed in the supine position and aSKNA dropped significantly to 1.26 ± 0.43 μV; (P = .0004). The heart rate variability during the TTT shows a significant increase in parasympathetic tone during syncope (low-frequency/high-frequency ratio: 7.15 vs 2.21; P = .04).

Conclusion

Patients with syncope do not have elevated sympathetic tone at baseline or during the TTT except immediately before syncope when there is a transient surge of SKNA followed by sympathetic withdrawal along with parasympathetic surge.

SUBMITTER: Kumar A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7141961 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Backgrounds: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) affects the autonomic nervous system (ANS) function. The aim of our study is to detect the particular patterns of ANS regulation in AMI. We hypothesize that altered ANS regulation in AMI patients causes synchronized neural discharge (clustering phenomenon) detected by non-invasive skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA). Methods: Forty subjects, including 20 AMI patients and 20 non-AMI controls, participated in the study. The wide-band bioelectrical signals (neuECG) were continuously recorded on the body surface for 5 min. SKNA was signal processed to depict the envelope of SKNA (eSKNA). By labeling the clusters, the AMI subjects were separated into non-AMI, non-cluster appearing (AMINCA), and cluster appearing (AMICA) groups. Results: The average eSKNA was significantly correlated with HRV low-frequency (LF) power (rho = -0.336) and high-frequency power (rho = -0.372). The cross-comparison results demonstrated that eSKNA is a valid surrogate marker to assess ANS in AMI patients. The frequency of cluster occurrence was 0.01-0.03 Hz and the amplitude was about 3 μV. The LF/HF ratio of AMICA (median: 1.877; Q1-Q3: 1.483-2.413) revealed significantly lower than AMINCA (median: 3.959; Q1-Q3: 1.840-6.562). The results suggest that the SKNA clustering is a unique temporal pattern of ANS synchronized discharge, which could indicate the lower sympathetic status (by HRV) in AMI patients. Conclusion: This is the first study to identify SKNA clustering phenomenon in AMI patients. Such a synchronized nerve discharge pattern could be detected with non-invasive SKNA signals. SKNA temporal clustering could be a novel biomarker to classify ANS regulation ability in AMI patients. Clinical and Translational Significance: SKNA is higher in AMI patients than in control and negatively correlates with parasympathetic parameters. SKNA clustering is associated with a lower LF/HF ratio that has been shown to correlate with sudden cardiac death in AMI. The lack of SKNA temporal clustering could indicate poor ANS regulation in AMI patients.