Heart rate variability suppression in cancer patients versus non-cancer controls: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Hsiu-Hua Shih, Hsu-Chieh Chang, Po-Huang Chen et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined heart rate variability (HRV) in cancer patients compared to non-cancer controls, including 28 studies with 3232 participants. The analysis revealed that cancer patients had significantly lower SDNN (-14.05 ms), RMSSD (-16.76 ms), and pNN50 (-6.05%), all with p < 0.001, indicating autonomic dysfunction.
Key findings
- Cancer patients exhibited lower SDNN by 14.05 ms compared to controls.
- RMSSD was reduced by 16.76 ms in cancer patients.
- pNN50 decreased by 6.05% in cancer patients versus non-cancer controls.
- All pooled outcomes were assessed with Very Low certainty.
Why it matters
Understanding HRV suppression in cancer patients may help clinicians recognize autonomic dysfunction, which could influence patient management and monitoring strategies. However, the low certainty of the findings limits their immediate clinical application.
What to keep in mind
All pooled outcomes were assessed with Very Low certainty, limiting the reliability of the findings.