Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 90, Issue 9 , Pages 1628-1634, September 2009

Cardiovascular Autonomic Modulation After Acute Resistance Exercise in Women With Fibromyalgia

  • J. Derek Kingsley, MS

      Affiliations

    • Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to J. Derek Kingsley, MS, Dept of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, 436 Sandels Bldg, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
    • ,
  • Lynn B. Panton, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
    • ,
  • Victor McMillan, MD

      Affiliations

    • McIntosh Clinic, Thomasville, GA
    • ,
  • Arturo Figueroa, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

Abstract 

Kingsley JD, Panton LB, McMillan V, Figueroa A. Cardiovascular autonomic modulation after acute resistance exercise in women with fibromyalgia.

Objective

To test the hypothesis that autonomic modulation after resistance exercise (RE) would be reduced in women with fibromyalgia (FM) compared with controls.

Design

Before-after trial.

Setting

Testing occurred in a university setting.

Participants

Women with FM (n=9) and healthy controls (n=9) underwent testing before (pre) and 20 minutes after (post) RE.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Normalized low-frequency (LFnu) and normalized high-frequency (HFnu) oscillations and the LFnu/HFnu ratio were indicative of sympathetic modulation, parasympathetic modulation, and sympathovagal balance, respectively. Baroreceptor reflex sensitivity (BRS) was also measured.

Results

Variables were similar in both groups at rest. HFnu decreased in controls (pre, 55.0±4.2%; post, 35.0±4.7%; P<.05) and increased in women with FM (pre, 57.0±5.7%; post, 63.2±4.6%; P<.05). LFnu increased in controls (pre, 43.3±4.4%; post, 63.2±4.8%; P<.05) and decreased in women with FM (pre, 41.8±5.6%; post, 35.6±4.7%; P<.05). The LFnu/HFnu ratio increased in controls (pre, 0.89±0.17; post, 2.43±0.64; P<.05) with no change in women with FM (pre, 0.90±0.22; post, 0.64±0.13; P=.13). BRS decreased in controls (pre, 8.78±1.42ms/mmHg; post, 5.49±0.66ms/mmHg; P<.05), but not in women with FM (pre, 5.91±1.22ms/mmHg; post, 9.23±2.4ms/mmHg; P=.16).

Conclusions

After acute RE, women with FM responded differently from controls, demonstrated by lower sympathetic and higher vagal modulation without altering BRS. These postexercise responses may be attributed to the altered autonomic responsiveness to physiologic stress that characterizes FM.

Key Words: Autonomic nervous system, Baroreflex, Rehabilitation, Vagus nerve

List of Abbreviations: 1RM, 1-repetition maximum, BMI, body mass index, BRS, baroreceptor reflex sensitivity, ECG, electrocardiogram, FM, fibromyalgia, HF, high frequency, HFnu, normalized high frequency, HRV, heart rate variability, LF, low frequency, LFnu, normalized low frequency, Ln, natural log, nu, normalized units, RE, resistance exercise

 

 No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.

 Reprints are not available from the author.

PII: S0003-9993(09)00334-7

doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2009.02.023

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 90, Issue 9 , Pages 1628-1634, September 2009

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