Difference in Correlation Coefficient between Heart Rate Variability and Mechanical Dispersion in Breast Cancer Patients with and without Cardiovascular Risk Factors Post Anthracycline Chemotherapy

Abstract

Background: Sympathetic hyperactivity is one of the several factors that influence left ventricular dyssynchrony post anthracycline. Cardiovascular risk factors affect the acceleration of left ventricular dyssynchrony. The purpose of this study is to assess the difference in correlation coefficient between HRV and mechanical dispersion in breast cancer patients with and without cardiovascular risk factors after anthracycline administration.
Method: This was a cross sectional study with linear regression analysis conducted at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung between July-October 2018. Subjects were breast cancer patients who had received 6 cycles of FAS and were divided into 2 groups. Group I was patients with breast cancer who have cardiovascular risk factors and group II was without cardiovascular risk factors. Sympathetic hyperactivity was assessed using HRV baseline frequency with minimum duration of recording and left ventricular dyssynchrony was assessed using MD method by echocardiography.
Result: This study involved 66 patients. Group I (n=34, age 50.3±6.3 years) and group II (n=32, age 48.5±9 years). The median of LF/HF ratio was 2.7 ms2 (group I) and 1.9 ms2 (group II). MD value in group I and group II was 52.2±13.6 ms and 45.7±8.8 ms, respectively. The result of linear regression analysis showed positive correlation between the LF/HF ratio and MD in group I (r=0.546, p=0.001) and group II (r=0.423, p=0.016) after adjusting three confounding factors (systolic blood pressure, cumulative dose of Doxorubicin, and age).
Conclusion: Correlation coefficient of HRV with mechanical dispersion in post anthracycline breast cancer patients in those with cardiovascular risk factors
was worse compared to those without cardiovascular risk factors but was not statistically significant.