Objectives: Alcohol consumption is associated with a broad array of physiologic and behavioral effects including changes in cardiac autonomic activity. In the present study, time-related acute effects of alcohol have been characterized and compared between genders. Methods: A total of 30 healthy subjects (15 males and 15 females) were enrolled in this study. The red wine was given to each subject at a dosage of 0.27 g of pure ethanol per kilogram of body weight. 5-min electrocardiograms (ECGs) were collected before (BR) and at 15 min (P15), 30 min (P30), 45 min (P45) and 60 min (P60) after alcohol intake. Time- and frequency-domain analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) was performed. The time-domain HRV indices include mean RR interval, pNN50, SDNN and RMSSD. The low- (LF: 0.04 to 0.15 Hz) and high-frequency (HF: 0.15 to 0.4 Hz) components along with LF/HF ratio were calculated for frequency-domain analysis of HRV. HRV was also analyzed by mathematical models, e.g. Poincaré plot, which uses a nonlinear geometric representation of change in interbeat heart rate. Poincaré plots indices, SD1, SD2, SD1/SD2 ratio and r RR , were applied in this study for HRV assessment. Results: Alcohol intake was associated with decreased HRV in both time and frequency domains. The lowest HRV was observed 30–40 min after the intake of alcohol. The alcohol intake also caused the decrease of Poincaré plots indices (SD1 and SD1/SD2 in P30, P40 and P60, and r RR in P45), accompanied with a narrower plot area. The changes of HRV indices differed by gender. The male subjects demonstrated a greater decrease of parameters measured in this study compared to the female subjects. Conclusion: Acute effects of alcohol ingestion resulted in reductions in HRV, indicating impaired cardiac autonomic nervous activity. Autonomic nervous activity in the females was less dampened by the alcohol compared to the males.
The Daily Pattern of Heart Rate, Body Temperature, Locomotor Activity, and Autonomic Nervous Activity in Congenitally Bronchial-Hypersensitive (BHS) and Bronchial-Hyposensitive (BHR) Guinea Pigs
