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Original Article

Heart Rate Variability from Underwater Spiroergometry: How Meaningful?

Andreas Koch1, Fabian Möller2, Elena Jacobi2, Thomas Muth3, Clark Pepper4, Uwe Hoffmann2, Jochen D. Schipke5 ()
German Naval Medical Institute, Maritime Medicine, Kronshagen, Germany
Department of Exercise Physiology, Institute of Exercise Training and Sport Informatics, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
Department of Neurology, Johanna Etienne Hospital, Neuss, Germany
Forschungsgruppe Experimentelle Chirurgie, Universitäts-Klinikum Düsseldorf, Moorenstrasse 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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Abstract

Cardiovascular fitness of divers is overwhelmingly performed using bicycle ergometry. A more sport-specific alternative presents fit2dive, an underwater spiroergometry system. Purpose of this exploratory study: using fit2dive to investigate the diagnostic value of measures of heart rate variability (HRV) after markedly increasing physical load. Ten scuba divers employed the fit2dive system and increased fin-swimming speed until exhaustion. Breathing gas consumption (V̇E) and heart rate (HR) were measured. A three-lead ECG was recorded to analyze for time and frequency domain HRV-measures. V̇E increased from 16.5 ± 6.5 to 68.3 ± 26.6 L/min. HR increased from 96 ± 13 beats/min (mean ± SD) at rest to 170 ± 14 beats/min before exhaustion. Global variability (SDNN: 132 ± 42 vs. 54 ± 17 ms) decreased along with two measures of parasympathetic activity (RMSSD: 59 ± 31 vs. 24 ± 16 ms; pNN50: 22% ± 12% vs. 3% ± 3%). Measures from the frequency domain decreased [low frequency (LF): 3167 ± 2651 vs. 778 ± 705 ms2] or remained unaltered [high frequency (HF): 885 ± 652 vs. 431 ± 463 ms2]. Thus, LF/HF decreased from 4.3 ± 2.3 to 2.5 ± 1.4. The sports-specific fit2dive can help assessing diving fitness by employing HRV measures. However, this study supports the view that these measures much depend on HR. Thus, HRV measures regarding altered autonomic control during exercise will lead to serious misinterpretation: as HR increases, variability decreases.

Keywords

Scuba divingPhysical fitnessHeart rateHeart rate variabilityAutonomic nervous system

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Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise
Volume 5 Issue 2,
May 2023
Pages 116-122
DOI: 10.1007/s42978-021-00153-x
Cite this article:
Koch A, Möller F, Jacobi E, et al. Heart Rate Variability from Underwater Spiroergometry: How Meaningful?. Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise, 2023, 5(2): 116-122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42978-021-00153-x
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