Frailty and heart response to physical activity

Nima Toosizadeh, Hossein Ehsani, Sairam Parthasarathy, Ben Carpenter, Kayleigh Ruberto, Jane Mohler, Saman Parvaneh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Although previous studies showed that frail older adults are more susceptible to develop cardiovascular diseases, the underlying effect of frailty on heart rate dynamics is still unclear. The goal of the current study was to measure heart rate changes due to normal speed and rapid walking among non-frail and pre-frail/frail older adults, and to implement heart rate dynamic measures to identify frailty status. Methods: Eighty-eight older adults (≥65 years) were recruited and stratified into frailty groups based on the five-component Fried frailty phenotype. While performing gait tests, heart rate was recorded using a wearable ECG and accelerometer sensors. Groups consisted of 27 non-frail (age = 78.70 ± 7.32) and 61 pre-frail/frail individuals (age = 81.00 ± 8.14). The parameters of interest included baseline heart rate measures (mean heart rate and heart rate variability), and heart rate dynamics due to walking (percentage change in heart rate and required time to reach the maximum heart rate). Results: Respectively for normal and rapid walking conditions, pre-frail/frail participants had 46% and 44% less increase in heart rate, and 49% and 27% slower occurrence of heart rate peak, when compared to non-frail older adults (p < 0.04, effect size = 0.71 ± 0.12). Measures of heart rate dynamics showed stronger associations with frailty status compared to baseline resting-state measures (sensitivity = 0.75 and specificity = 0.65 using heart rate dynamics measures, compared to sensitivity = 0.64 and specificity = 0.62 using baseline parameters). Conclusions: These findings suggest that measures of heart rate dynamics in response to daily activities may provide meaningful markers for frailty screening.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number104323
JournalArchives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
Volume93
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2021

Keywords

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Frailty
  • Heart rate dynamics
  • Heart rate variability
  • Older adults
  • Orthostatic haemodynamics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Aging
  • Gerontology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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