Prognostic Value of Heart Rate Variability for Monitoring Inflammatory Pathway: Suggestion for a Personalized Approach

Abstract

Pro-inflammatory cytokines play a crucial role in inflammatory response, which is tightly regulated by the nervous system to avoid the damage caused by inflammation. Non-functional anti-inflammatory response might lead to excessive and chronic inflammation and poor outcome. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a potential tool to monitor the level of anti-inflammatory activity through the monitoring of vagal activity. In this work, the association of pro-inflammatory markers with HRV indices is evaluated. Results suggest that HRV as a reflection of basal vagal activity might in combination with personal characteristics be a potential prognostic tool for interventional guidance.