Cardiorespiratory coupling is associated with exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Yu Chen Huang, Ting Yu Lin, Hau Tieng Wu, Po Jui Chang, Chun Yu Lo, Tsai Yu Wang, Chih Hsi Scott Kuo, Shu Min Lin, Fu Tsai Chung, Horng Chyuan Lin, Meng Heng Hsieh, Yu Lun Lo*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The interaction between the pulmonary function and cardiovascular mechanics is a crucial issue, particularly when treating patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Synchrogram index is a new parameter that can quantify this interaction and has the potential to apply in COPD patients. Our objective in this study was to characterize cardiorespiratory interactions in terms of cardiorespiratory coupling (CRC) using the synchrogram index of the heart rate and respiratory flow signals in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methods: This is a cross-sectional and preliminary data from a prospective study, which examines 55 COPD patients. K-means clustering analysis was applied to cluster COPD patients based on the synchrogram index. Linear regression and multivariable regression analysis were used to determine the correlation between the synchrogram index and the exercise capacity assessed by a six-minute walking test (6MWT). Results: The 55 COPD patients were separated into a synchronized group (median 0.89 (0.64–0.97), n = 43) and a desynchronized group (median 0.23 (0.02–0.51), n = 12) based on K-means clustering analysis. Synchrogram index was correlated significantly with six minutes walking distance (r = 0.42, p = 0.001) and distance saturation product (r = 0.41, p = 0.001) assessed by 6MWT, and still was an independent variable by multivariable regression analysis. Conclusion: This is the first result studying the heart–lung interaction in terms of cardiorespiratory coupling in COPD patients by the synchrogram index, and COPD patients are clustered into synchronized and desynchronized groups. Cardiorespiratory coupling is associated with exercise capacity in patients with COPD.

Original languageEnglish
Article number22
JournalBMC Pulmonary Medicine
Volume21
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 12 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).

Keywords

  • Distance saturation product
  • Heart–lung interaction
  • Six-minute walking distance
  • Synchrogram index

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