Resistance exercise improves autonomic regulation at rest and haemodynamic response to exercise in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Autonomic dysfunction has been reported in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and is associated with clinical presentations. To date, there are no therapies to improve autonomic regulation in people with NAFLD. The present study defines the impact of a short-term exercise programme on cardiac autonomic and haemodynamic regulation in patients with NAFLD. Seventeen patients with clinically defined NAFLD (age 55±12 years, BMI 33±5 kg/m2, 17±9% Liver fat) were randomized to 8 weeks of resistance exercise or a control group to continue standard care. Resting and submaximal exercise (50%VO2PEAK) autonomic and cardiac haemodynamic measures were assessed before and after the intervention. Resistance exercise resulted in a 14% reduction in heart rate and 7% lower systolic blood pressure during submaximal exercise (16 beats/min, p=0.03 and 16 mmHg, p=0.22). Sympathovagal balance, expressed as low to high frequency ratio (LF:HF) of the mean heart rate beat-to-beat (RR) interval, was reduced by 37% (p=0.26). Similarly sympathovagal balance of diastolic and systolic blood pressure variability decreased by 29% (p=0.33) and 19% (p=0.55) respectively in the exercise group only. Baroreceptor reflex sensitivity increased by 31% (p=0.08) following exercise. Mean RR interval increased by 23% (159 ms, p=0.09). Parasympathetic regulation was decreased by 17% (p=0.05) and overall sympathovagal balance in blood pressure regulation (LF:HF) increased by 26% (p...
Source: Clinical Science - Category: Biomedical Science Authors: Source Type: research