ΔHR/ΔWR derived from CPET; A novel predictor of 'off' symptom in Parkinson's disease.

INTRODUCTION

Chronotropic incompetence (CI) is broadly defined as the inability of the heart to increase its rate commensurate with increased activity. In this study, we tried to clarify the link between CI and UPDRS part II (off-on), which was calculated by subtracting part II (on) from part II (off), in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

METHODS

Thirty-six hospitalized patients were examined by using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) for exercise tolerance (ΔVO2/ΔWR and peak VO2/W) and the presence of CI (ΔHR/ΔWR), and using electrocardiogram for heart rate variability.

RESULTS

We originally divided the patients into three groups; Group I (ΔHR/ΔWR x100 <15) (N = 3), Group II (15≥, <60) (N = 28), Group III (>60) (N = 5). Since Group I and III were significantly smaller and older than Group II, we focused and divided into two groups; Group II CI (+), the PD patients with CI (15≤ ΔHR/ΔWR x100 <35), and Group II CI (-), those patients without that (35≤ ΔHR/ΔWR x100 <60). ΔVO2/ΔWR and peak VO2/W in CI (+) patients was lower than CI (-) (P = 0.022 and P = 0.096, respectively). HF power (parasympathetic activity) tends to be decreased, whereas LF/HF ratio (sympathetic activity) was increased in CI (+) patients as compared with CI (-). The UPDRS part II (off-on) of CI (+) patients was significantly higher than CI (-) (P = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

In PD patients, the difference between 'on' and 'off' in activities of daily living might be predicted by using ΔHR/ΔWR x100 obtained from CPET as an index.