Variabilidade da frequência cardíaca em trabalhadores da construção civil e de escritório
Abstract
Background: The leisure physical activity has been linked to a number of benefits to health
and the cardiovascular system. On the other hand, a high level of physical activity at work
may be related to higher rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality in general. Thus,
assessment of heart rate variability (HRV) in construction and office workers can provide
information about the role of work in the cardiac autonomic modulation and hence the risk of
cardiovascular disordes.
Objective: To compare the autonomic modulation of heart rate in construction workers and
office in supine and standing during the maneuver of respiratory sinus arrhythmia.
Methods: The study inclued 34 male workers aged between 18 and 59 years. Exclusion
criteria were: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, drug use and dyslipidemia. Participants
underwent clinical evaluation, quality of life (SF-36), level of habitual physical activity
(Baecke), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), stress (SRQ-
20), fatigue (Bipolar) and quality of sleep Pittsburgh (IQPS). The RR intervals were obtained
by a heart rate monitor supine, standing and during the operation of respiratory sinus
arrhythmia. Data analysis was done descriptively and through analysis of variance (ANOVA
two way), considering the groups and assessment positions as independent variables and
indices for HRV as dependent variables. Analyses were performed using SPSS software, with
5% significance level.
Results: There were differences between the groups only for 2ULV index, and the group of
construction workers showed greater parasympathetic modulation in relation to office
workers group. There were differences between the positions for most of the indices, except
for SDNN, BF, ES and 2LV.
Conclusion: This study showed that the sedentary group has more sympathetic modulation
in the supine position, which may be related to the lower complexity of HRV in this
population.