Reduced parasympathetic reactivation during recovery from exercise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Van Oosterwijck, J., Marusic, U., De Wandele, I., Meeus, M., Paul, L., Lambrecht, L., Moorkens, G., Danneels, L. and Nijs, J. (2021) Reduced parasympathetic reactivation during recovery from exercise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(19), 4527. (doi: 10.3390/jcm10194527) (PMID:34640544) (PMCID:PMC8509376)

Abstract

Although autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) has been proposed, conflicting evidence makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding ANS activity at rest in ME/CFS patients. Although severe exercise intolerance is one of the core features of ME/CFS, little attempts have been made to study ANS responses to physical exercise. Therefore, impairments in ANS activation at rest and following exercise were examined using a case-control study in 20 ME/CFS patients and 20 healthy people. Different autonomous variables, including cardiac, respiratory, and electrodermal responses were assessed at rest and following an acute exercise bout. At rest, parameters in the time-domain represented normal autonomic function in ME/CFS, while frequency-domain parameters indicated the possible presence of diminished (para)sympathetic activation. Reduced parasympathetic reactivation during recovery from exercise was observed in ME/CFS. This is the first study showing reduced parasympathetic reactivation during recovery from physical exercise in ME/CFS. Delayed HR recovery and/or a reduced HRV as seen in ME/CFS have been associated with poor disease prognosis, high risk for adverse cardiac events, and morbidity in other pathologies, implying that future studies should examine whether this is also the case in ME/CFS and how to safely improve HR recovery in this population.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Autonomic nervous system, autonomic function, electrodermal activity, electrocardiogram, heart rate.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Paul, Dr Lorna
• Authors: Van Oosterwijck, J., Marusic, U., De Wandele, I., Meeus, M., Paul, L., Lambrecht, L., Moorkens, G., Danneels, L., and Nijs, J.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing > Nursing and Health Care
• Journal Name: Journal of Clinical Medicine
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2077-0383
• ISSN (Online): 2077-0383
• Published Online: 30 September 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Journal of Clinical Medicine 10(19): 4527
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License