TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of an aerobic exercise intervention on cardiac autonomic regulation

T2 - A worksite RCT among cleaners

AU - Hallman, David M

AU - Holtermann, Andreas

AU - Søgaard, Karen

AU - Krustrup, Peter

AU - Kristiansen, Jesper

AU - Korshøj, Mette

N1 - CURIS 2017 NEXS 015

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to determine whether aerobic exercise during work hours affects cardiac autonomic regulation in cleaners characterized by high levels of occupational physical activity and poor cardiorespiratory fitness.METHOD: Eligible cleaners (n=116) were randomized to an aerobic exercise group (n=59) or a reference group (n=57) with lectures. The intervention group received two 30-min sessions per week of supervised aerobic exercise over 4months. Diurnal measurements of heart rate variability (HRV) and physical activity (accelerometry) were obtained at baseline and at 4-month follow-up. Time and frequency domain indices of HRV were derived during work, leisure time and sleep to evaluate cardiac autonomic regulation. Linear mixed models were used to determine the effect of the intervention on HRV indices, with adjustment for age, gender and daily use of antihypertensive and/or heart medication.RESULTS: Compared with the reference group, the exercise group increased all HRV indices apart from a reduction in LF/HF ratio from baseline to follow-up both during work (p<0.05) and leisure (p<0.05). In contrast, during sleep, the HRV indices tended to decrease in the exercise group compared with the reference group from baseline to follow-up, being significant for the HF spectral component (p=0.03).CONCLUSION: Among cleaners, a worksite aerobic exercise intervention improved cardiac autonomic regulation during work and leisure, but not during sleep. The health effect of this contrasting change in autonomic regulation needs further investigation.

AB - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to determine whether aerobic exercise during work hours affects cardiac autonomic regulation in cleaners characterized by high levels of occupational physical activity and poor cardiorespiratory fitness.METHOD: Eligible cleaners (n=116) were randomized to an aerobic exercise group (n=59) or a reference group (n=57) with lectures. The intervention group received two 30-min sessions per week of supervised aerobic exercise over 4months. Diurnal measurements of heart rate variability (HRV) and physical activity (accelerometry) were obtained at baseline and at 4-month follow-up. Time and frequency domain indices of HRV were derived during work, leisure time and sleep to evaluate cardiac autonomic regulation. Linear mixed models were used to determine the effect of the intervention on HRV indices, with adjustment for age, gender and daily use of antihypertensive and/or heart medication.RESULTS: Compared with the reference group, the exercise group increased all HRV indices apart from a reduction in LF/HF ratio from baseline to follow-up both during work (p<0.05) and leisure (p<0.05). In contrast, during sleep, the HRV indices tended to decrease in the exercise group compared with the reference group from baseline to follow-up, being significant for the HF spectral component (p=0.03).CONCLUSION: Among cleaners, a worksite aerobic exercise intervention improved cardiac autonomic regulation during work and leisure, but not during sleep. The health effect of this contrasting change in autonomic regulation needs further investigation.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Autonomics

KW - Cardiovascular

KW - Objective measurements

KW - Occupational health

KW - Parasympathetic

KW - Physical activity

KW - Randomized controlled trial

U2 - 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.11.031

DO - 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.11.031

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27889332

VL - 169

SP - 90

EP - 97

JO - Physiology & Behavior

JF - Physiology & Behavior

SN - 0031-9384

ER -