Abstract
This study investigated whether heart rate variability (HRV) in young African-Americans differed from that in young European Americans. It further examined the genetic and/or environmental sources of HRV variance and to what extent they depend on ethnicity or gender in young twins. Subjects were available from 1 data set including 166 subjects (mean age 16 ± 2 years; 63 African-Americans) and another including 219 twins (11 singletons [4 African-Americans] and 104 pairs [42 African-Americans]; mean age 15 ± 2 years). HRV was measured over 256 RR intervals in a supine position. Two time-domain variables, the SD of normal RR intervals (SDNN) and the root-mean-square of successive differences (RMSSD) of normal RR intervals, and 3 frequency-domain variables, high-frequency (HF) power, low-frequency (LF) power, and the LF power/HF power ratio, were used. African-Americans had higher RMSSDs (p <0.01) and HF power (p = 0.047) and lower LF power/HF power ratios (p <0.01) than European Americans. These differences remained significant after adjusting for covariates. All HRV parameters were heritable; estimated heritability ranged from 32% to 71%. Model fitting showed no ethnic or gender differences for any measure. SDNN, RMSSD, and HF power were strongly correlated (r values >0.8). One factor explaining >90% of the variance for all 3 measures was identified. The heritability of this combined HRV score was 70%. In conclusion, this study suggests that ethnic differences in HRV already exist in youth, with African-Americans having greater HRV than European Americans. High heritability estimates for HRV measures were observed, and no differences in HRV heritability estimates were noted for ethnicity or gender.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1166-1172 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | American Journal of Cardiology |
| Volume | 96 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 15 2005 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Cite this
Ethnic differences and heritability of heart rate variability in African- and European American youth. / Wang, Xiaoling; Thayer, Julian F.; Treiber, Frank; Snieder, Harold.
In: American Journal of Cardiology, Vol. 96, No. 8, 15.10.2005, p. 1166-1172.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Ethnic differences and heritability of heart rate variability in African- and European American youth
AU - Wang, Xiaoling
AU - Thayer, Julian F.
AU - Treiber, Frank
AU - Snieder, Harold
PY - 2005/10/15
Y1 - 2005/10/15
N2 - This study investigated whether heart rate variability (HRV) in young African-Americans differed from that in young European Americans. It further examined the genetic and/or environmental sources of HRV variance and to what extent they depend on ethnicity or gender in young twins. Subjects were available from 1 data set including 166 subjects (mean age 16 ± 2 years; 63 African-Americans) and another including 219 twins (11 singletons [4 African-Americans] and 104 pairs [42 African-Americans]; mean age 15 ± 2 years). HRV was measured over 256 RR intervals in a supine position. Two time-domain variables, the SD of normal RR intervals (SDNN) and the root-mean-square of successive differences (RMSSD) of normal RR intervals, and 3 frequency-domain variables, high-frequency (HF) power, low-frequency (LF) power, and the LF power/HF power ratio, were used. African-Americans had higher RMSSDs (p <0.01) and HF power (p = 0.047) and lower LF power/HF power ratios (p <0.01) than European Americans. These differences remained significant after adjusting for covariates. All HRV parameters were heritable; estimated heritability ranged from 32% to 71%. Model fitting showed no ethnic or gender differences for any measure. SDNN, RMSSD, and HF power were strongly correlated (r values >0.8). One factor explaining >90% of the variance for all 3 measures was identified. The heritability of this combined HRV score was 70%. In conclusion, this study suggests that ethnic differences in HRV already exist in youth, with African-Americans having greater HRV than European Americans. High heritability estimates for HRV measures were observed, and no differences in HRV heritability estimates were noted for ethnicity or gender.
AB - This study investigated whether heart rate variability (HRV) in young African-Americans differed from that in young European Americans. It further examined the genetic and/or environmental sources of HRV variance and to what extent they depend on ethnicity or gender in young twins. Subjects were available from 1 data set including 166 subjects (mean age 16 ± 2 years; 63 African-Americans) and another including 219 twins (11 singletons [4 African-Americans] and 104 pairs [42 African-Americans]; mean age 15 ± 2 years). HRV was measured over 256 RR intervals in a supine position. Two time-domain variables, the SD of normal RR intervals (SDNN) and the root-mean-square of successive differences (RMSSD) of normal RR intervals, and 3 frequency-domain variables, high-frequency (HF) power, low-frequency (LF) power, and the LF power/HF power ratio, were used. African-Americans had higher RMSSDs (p <0.01) and HF power (p = 0.047) and lower LF power/HF power ratios (p <0.01) than European Americans. These differences remained significant after adjusting for covariates. All HRV parameters were heritable; estimated heritability ranged from 32% to 71%. Model fitting showed no ethnic or gender differences for any measure. SDNN, RMSSD, and HF power were strongly correlated (r values >0.8). One factor explaining >90% of the variance for all 3 measures was identified. The heritability of this combined HRV score was 70%. In conclusion, this study suggests that ethnic differences in HRV already exist in youth, with African-Americans having greater HRV than European Americans. High heritability estimates for HRV measures were observed, and no differences in HRV heritability estimates were noted for ethnicity or gender.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=26244446786&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=26244446786&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.amjcard.2005.06.050
DO - 10.1016/j.amjcard.2005.06.050
M3 - Article
C2 - 16214458
AN - SCOPUS:26244446786
VL - 96
SP - 1166
EP - 1172
JO - American Journal of Cardiology
JF - American Journal of Cardiology
SN - 0002-9149
IS - 8
ER -