A Simple Home-Based Lifestyle Intervention Program to Improve Cardiac Autonomic Regulation in Patients with Increased Cardiometabolic Risk

Daniela Lucini, Mara Malacarne, Wolfgang Gatzemeier and Massimo Pagani
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Daniela Lucini: BIOMETRA Department, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
Mara Malacarne: BIOMETRA Department, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
Wolfgang Gatzemeier: Cancer Center, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, 20089 Rozzano, Italy
Massimo Pagani: BIOMETRA Department, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-12

Abstract: Lifestyle modification programs (LMP) represent a new approach to cardiometabolic/oncologic risk reduction. Successful LMP in clinical practice must be feasible, cost effective, efficacious and consider home-based exercise. Likewise, multiple mechanisms implied in cardiometabolic risk reduction such as cardiac autonomic regulation (CAR) should be easily evidenced, in spite of the computational complexity involved. This goal could be facilitated by employing novel, friendlier, simpler techniques, such as the Autonomic Nervous System Index (ANSI), which can be treated as a proxy of CAR. In this observational study, we introduce a simple LMP (based on cognitive behavioral strategies and patient-tailored prescription of nutrition and home-based exercise, managed by a single physician) into the currently existing clinical practice of secondary cardiometabolic prevention. In 26 subjects, we assessed CAR (autoregressive spectral analysis of cardiovascular variabilities), body mass composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis) and stress perception (questionnaires). After LMP, ANSI and lipid profile were improved; % of fat mass, waist circumference and stress perception were reduced. We conclude that this preliminary, proof of concept study provides significant evidence in favor of the hypothesis that it is possible to introduce a convenient, cost effective LMP into the currently existing clinical practice of secondary cardiometabolic prevention. Findings suggest a successful comprehensive behavioral change, possibly facilitated by the simplified approach employed in this study, capable of improving cardiac autonomic regulation in addition to body mass composition and stress perception.

Keywords: autonomic nervous system; prevention; exercise; home-based intervention; nutrition; heart rate variability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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