Division of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine Laboratory Department, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Menopause. 2010 Mar;17(2):315-20. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181c2bb6d.
The aim of this study was to investigate whether cardiovascular autonomic reactivity and risk profile are associated with the frequency and severity of hot flashes in recently postmenopausal women.
A total of 150 postmenopausal women with varying degrees of severity of hot flashes (none, mild, moderate, or severe) underwent 24-hour electrocardiographic recording. The function of the autonomic nervous system was assessed via heart rate variability in time and frequency domains. The effects of hot flashes on cardiac autonomic function were studied by assessing heart rate variability in the presence and absence of symptoms.
There were no differences in mean heart rate, heart rate extremes, or total number of ectopic beats between women without and women with mild, moderate, or severe hot flashes. However, most women (14/17, 82%) with frequent ventricular ectopic beats and all women with ventricular runs belonged to the symptomatic groups. Although there were no differences in 24-hour or nighttime heart rate variability between the study groups, the very-low-frequency spectral component of heart rate variability increased by 72% (P < 0.001) during the hot flash period compared with the control period and was accompanied by an increase in heart rate (3%; P < 0.001).
Cardiovascular risk markers based on heart rate variability failed to show an association with the frequency and severity of hot flashes in recently postmenopausal women. However, during a hot flash episode, there were signs of altered autonomic control of heart rate, which may be involved in the regulatory mechanisms of hot flashes.
本研究旨在探讨心血管自主反应性和风险状况是否与近期绝经后妇女热潮发作的频率和严重程度相关。
共有 150 名绝经后妇女（无、轻度、中度或重度）接受了 24 小时心电图记录。通过时域和频域心率变异性评估自主神经系统功能。通过评估存在和不存在症状时的心率变异性来研究热潮发作对心脏自主功能的影响。
无热潮发作的女性与轻度、中度或重度热潮发作的女性之间的平均心率、心率极值或异位搏动总数无差异。然而，大多数（14/17，82%）频发室性异位搏动和所有室性心动过速的女性均属于有症状组。尽管研究组之间 24 小时或夜间心率变异性无差异，但与对照期相比，热潮发作期间心率变异性的极低频谱成分增加了 72%（P<0.001），并且心率增加了 3%（P<0.001）。
基于心率变异性的心血管风险标志物未能显示与近期绝经后妇女热潮发作的频率和严重程度相关。然而，在热潮发作期间，存在心率自主控制改变的迹象，这可能与热潮发作的调节机制有关。
