Exercise induced changes in autonomic nerve function in patients with irritable bowel syndrome by power spectral analysis

Abstract

Background: Altered autonomic nerve function has been reported by various investigators in IBS and moderate to vigor­ous physical exercise causes autonomic nerve function improvement both in healthy and various clinical conditions.

Objective: To observe the effect of brisk walking on the autonomic nerve function by analysis of heart rate in patients with Irritable bowel syndrome.

Methods: This prospective interventional study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) between January to December 2013. For this purpose 77 male patients aged 20-50 years with IBS were included in this study, they were enrolled from OPD, Gastroen­terology, BSMMU, Dhaka. For comparison, 28 apparently healthy male were also included as control. HRV measures were recorded once before exercise and also after 3 months of brisk walking. For assessing HRV, frequency domain measures such as total power, LF power, HF power, LF norm and HF norm were recorded by Polyrite D machine. ANOVA, Independent sample t-test and paired t-tests were performed for statistical analysis.

Results: The pre-exercise values of HF power, HF norm and total power were significantly lower (p<0.05) whereas values of LF power and LF norm were higher (p<0.05) in all IBS patient compared to those of control. The post exercise data demonstrated signifi­cantly higher (p<0.05) HF power, HF nu and total power in all IBS patients compared to their pre-exercise values.

Conclu­sion: This study concluded that the frequency domain measures of HRV were decreased in IBS patients but all these parameters can be improved by regular moderate physical exercise.