Cited by 770Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic ControlNon-Invasive Vital Sign MonitoringNeuroscience of respiration and sleep

Important influence of respiration on human R-R interval power spectra is largely ignored

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Brown, T. E., Beightol, L. A., Koh, J., Eckberg, D. L.·1993·Journal of Applied Physiology

Abstract

Frequency-domain analyses of R-R intervals are used widely to estimate levels of autonomic neural traffic to the human heart. Because respiration modulates autonomic activity, we determined for nine healthy subjects the influence of breathing frequency and tidal volume on R-R interval power spectra (fast-Fourier transform method). We also surveyed published literature to determine current practices in this burgeoning field of scientific inquiry. Supine subjects breathed at rates of 6, 7.5, 10, 15, 17.1, 20, and 24 breaths/min and with nominal tidal volumes of 1,000 and 1,500 ml. R-R interval power at respiratory and low (0.06–0.14 Hz) frequencies declined significantly as breathing frequency increased. R-R interval power at respiratory frequencies was significantly greater at a tidal volume of 1,500 than 1,000 ml. Neither breathing frequency nor tidal volume influenced average R-R intervals significantly. Our review of studies reporting human R-R interval power spectra showed that 51% of the studies controlled respiratory rate, 11% controlled tidal volume, and 11% controlled both respiratory rate and tidal volume. The major implications of our analyses are that breathing parameters strongly influence low-frequency as well as respiratory frequency R-R interval power spectra and that this influence is largely ignored in published research.

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Crossref · 10.1152/jappl.1993.75.5.2310

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  • Maximisation of RSA/HRV at around 6 breaths per min has been confirmed by numerous studies.

    “Maximisation of RSA/HRV at around 6 breaths per min has since been confirmed by numerous studies [65, 73, 74].”

    From The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human (2017) · cites this paper as [65]

    The Results report that R-R interval power declined as breathing rate increased, and the Discussion says rates of about 10 breaths/min or less yielded maximum power. This supports high RSA/HRV at around 6 breaths/min, but does not establish a distinct maximum at 6 or confirmation by numerous studies; the Discussion says the authors knew of only one similar study. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • At 6 breaths per min, LF HRV oscillations are augmented by respiration.

    “At 6 breaths per min, the LF HRV oscillations are said to be augmented by respiration [65, 66].”
  • HRV could be affected by respiratory depth and respiratory frequency.

    “The proposed reason for controlling respiration is that HRV could be affected in certain circumstances by respiratory depth, the amount of air taken into the lungs (Hirsch and Bishop, 1981), and respiratory frequency, the amount of breaths per minute (Brown et al., 1993; Houtveen et al., 2002).”

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  1. [24]24. MALLIANI, A., M. PAGANI, F. LOMBARDI, AND S. CERUTTI. Cardio- Downloaded from journals.physiology.org/journal/jappl (104.140.004.254) on August 16, 2023.

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Authors
Brown, T. E., Beightol, L. A., Koh, J., & Eckberg, D. L.
Affiliations
Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center (US)
Venue
Journal of Applied Physiology
Published
1993-11-01
Volume
75
Issue
5
Pages
2310-2317
ISSN
  • 0161-7567 (ISSN-L)
  • 8750-7587
  • 1522-1601
OpenAlex
W1854129652
Cited by
770
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 45 · 2014: 38 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 12
FWCI
11.54
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Applied Physiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • National Institutes of Health (5r01hl022296-16)
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL-22296, 16046)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Non-Invasive Vital Sign Monitoring
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroscience of respiration and sleep
Keywords
respiration, respiratory rate, tidal volume, heart rate variability, autonomic nervous system, respiratory sinus arrhythmia
MeSH terms
Adult, Electrocardiography, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Male, Maximal Voluntary Ventilation, Tidal Volume, Respiratory Mechanics

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