The repeated sit-to-stand maneuver is a superior method for cardiac baroreflex assessment: A comparison with the modified Oxford method and Valsalva maneuver

H. M. Horsman, Y. C. Tzeng, D. C. Galletly, K. C. Peebles*

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    16 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Baroreflex assessment has diagnostic and prognostic utility in the clinical and research environments, and there is a need for a reliable, simple, noninvasive method of assessment. The repeated sit-to-stand method induces oscillatory changes in blood pressure (BP) at a desired frequency and is suitable for assessing dynamic baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). However, little is known about the reliability of this method and its ability to discern fundamental properties of the baroreflex. In this study we sought to: 1) evaluate the reliability of the sit-to-stand method for assessing BRS and compare its performance against two established methods (Oxford method and Valsalva maneuver), and 2) examine whether the frequency of the sit-to-stand method influences hysteresis. Sixteen healthy participants underwent three trials of each method. For the sit-to-stand method, which was performed at 0.1 and 0.05 Hz, BRS was quantified as an integrated response (BRSINT) and in response to falling and rising BP (BRSDOWN and BRSUP, respectively). Test retest reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Irrespective of frequency, the ICC for BRSINT during the sit-to-stand method was ≥0.88. The ICC for a rising BP evoked by phenylephrine (PEGAIN) in the Oxford method was 0.78 and ≤0.5 for the remaining measures. During the sit-to-stand method, hysteresis was apparent in all participants at 0.1 Hz but was absent at 0.05 Hz. These findings indicate the sit-to-stand method is a statistically reliable BRS assessment tool and suitable for the examination of baroreflex hysteresis. Using this approach we showed that baroreflex hysteresis is a frequency-dependent phenomenon.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)R1345-R1352
    Number of pages8
    JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology
    Volume307
    Issue number11
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2014

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