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Assessment of ventricular repolarization instability in terms of T-wave alternans induced by head-down bed-rest immobilization

Martín-Yebra, Alba ; Monasterio, Violeta ; Landreani, Federica ; Laguna, Pablo ; Pablo Martínez, Juan and Caiani, Enrico G. (2019) In Physiological Measurement 40(10).
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of different durations of simulated microgravity exposure on ventricular repolarization (VR) in terms of T-wave alternans (TWA) as well as to test whether an increase in VR heterogeneity could be detected once normal gravity was restored. APPROACH: A total of 63 healthy volunteers were recruited in several head-down bed-rest (HDBR) experiments in the context of the European Space Agency bed-rest strategy. TWA is evaluated during the night period using ambulatory ECG recordings, before, during and after long- (60 d), mid- (21 d) and short- (5 d) duration HDBR by the long-term averaging technique. MAIN RESULTS: 5-21 d of exposure to simulated microgravity by means of the HDBR model do not lead to a... (More)

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of different durations of simulated microgravity exposure on ventricular repolarization (VR) in terms of T-wave alternans (TWA) as well as to test whether an increase in VR heterogeneity could be detected once normal gravity was restored. APPROACH: A total of 63 healthy volunteers were recruited in several head-down bed-rest (HDBR) experiments in the context of the European Space Agency bed-rest strategy. TWA is evaluated during the night period using ambulatory ECG recordings, before, during and after long- (60 d), mid- (21 d) and short- (5 d) duration HDBR by the long-term averaging technique. MAIN RESULTS: 5-21 d of exposure to simulated microgravity by means of the HDBR model do not lead to a significant increase of cardiac electrical instability in healthy myocardial substrates up to the point of eliciting TWA on the surface ECG. However, TWA indices increased after long-term HDBR exposure, once normal gravity was re-established, indicative of incipient electrical instability on VR at the conclusion of 60 d of HDBR. SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this work underline the importance of focusing future research on immediate effects after long-term microgravity exposure, both simulated by HDBR or from space mission scenarios, once partial gravity conditions are re-established. A deeper insight in the understanding of human body reactions in these scenarios results crucial in the design of future long-duration spaceflight missions, to mitigate any potential risk that can limit astronaut's performance.

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author
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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Physiological Measurement
volume
40
issue
10
article number
104001
publisher
IOP Publishing
external identifiers
  • pmid:31593937
  • scopus:85074308196
ISSN
0967-3334
DOI
10.1088/1361-6579/ab4c18
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
e6e0ae78-3e29-4e89-94d7-733baef91f32
date added to LUP
2019-11-15 13:22:43
date last changed
2024-05-29 03:57:10
@article{e6e0ae78-3e29-4e89-94d7-733baef91f32,
  abstract     = {{<p>OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of different durations of simulated microgravity exposure on ventricular repolarization (VR) in terms of T-wave alternans (TWA) as well as to test whether an increase in VR heterogeneity could be detected once normal gravity was restored. APPROACH: A total of 63 healthy volunteers were recruited in several head-down bed-rest (HDBR) experiments in the context of the European Space Agency bed-rest strategy. TWA is evaluated during the night period using ambulatory ECG recordings, before, during and after long- (60 d), mid- (21 d) and short- (5 d) duration HDBR by the long-term averaging technique. MAIN RESULTS: 5-21 d of exposure to simulated microgravity by means of the HDBR model do not lead to a significant increase of cardiac electrical instability in healthy myocardial substrates up to the point of eliciting TWA on the surface ECG. However, TWA indices increased after long-term HDBR exposure, once normal gravity was re-established, indicative of incipient electrical instability on VR at the conclusion of 60 d of HDBR. SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this work underline the importance of focusing future research on immediate effects after long-term microgravity exposure, both simulated by HDBR or from space mission scenarios, once partial gravity conditions are re-established. A deeper insight in the understanding of human body reactions in these scenarios results crucial in the design of future long-duration spaceflight missions, to mitigate any potential risk that can limit astronaut's performance.</p>}},
  author       = {{Martín-Yebra, Alba and Monasterio, Violeta and Landreani, Federica and Laguna, Pablo and Pablo Martínez, Juan and Caiani, Enrico G.}},
  issn         = {{0967-3334}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  number       = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{IOP Publishing}},
  series       = {{Physiological Measurement}},
  title        = {{Assessment of ventricular repolarization instability in terms of T-wave alternans induced by head-down bed-rest immobilization}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1361-6579/ab4c18}},
  doi          = {{10.1088/1361-6579/ab4c18}},
  volume       = {{40}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}