Alexithymia relation to increased sympathetic activity of autonomic heart rate control

Abstract

Alexithymia relation to increased sympathetic activity of autonomic heart rate control: are the alexithymic patients after coronary angioplasty at higher risk of sudden cardiac death? Aim: It is known that abnormal autonomic heart activity plays an important part in the development of sudden cardiac death. Our aim was to research if alexithymia is related to the increased sympathetic activity in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Methods: 41 CHD pts (33 men and 8 women aged 58.0+/ 9.0) after PTCA were investigated. Alexithymia was assessed by using 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Spectral heart rate variability (HRV) was expressed as low-frequency (LF) component (a marker of sympathetic modulation); high-frequency (HF) one (as a marker of parasympathetic activity); LF/HF ratio and heart rate reaction (DltRRb) to active orthostatic test (AS LF/ HF 1.1 and/or DltRRb 200ms show increased sympathetic activity. Data were analysed using t-tests, chi-square tests and multiple regression analysis. Results: This study demonstrates that 90% of pts had increased sympathetic activity. T-tests and chi-square tests didn’t show the differences of parameteres of heart rate variability in alexithymic and non-alexithymic pts. The results of multiple regression analysis have shown that LF component is related to TAS-20 score (b = 0.789; p = .038; 95%CI 0.052–1.625). There were small number of pts in this study, so we suggest, that alexithymia association with increased sympathetic activity could be confirmed by other parameteres of HRV (LF/HF ratio, DltRRb) by larger studies. Conclusion: The findings of this research suggest that TAS-20 score is related to LF component of HRV in CHD pts after PTCA. It is possible that alexithymic patients after PTCA are at higher risk of sudden cardiac death. It would be important for the rehabilitation programmes for these pts. Further studies are required for the