SIGNS OF FUNCTIONAL EFFERENT REINNERVATION OF THE HEART IN PATIENTS AFTER CARDIAC TRANSPLANTATION

Short-term heart rate and blood pressure variability were assessed in 62 patients, studied within 1 month, at I, at 2 or at 3-5 years after cardiac transplantation and in 13 healthy control subjects. Means and fetal variances were calculated and the powers of the low frequency (L F, 0.07-0.14 EqHz) and of the high frequency (HF, 0.14-0.35 EqHz) comp onents were derived from power spectral analysis. Mean heart period, i ts total variance and the powers of the LF and HF components were lowe r in the transplanted patients than in the controls (P<0.001). The tot al variance and the LF and HF powers differed significantly among the groups of transplanted patients (P<0.01) and intergroup comparison sho wed significantly higher values in patients 3-5 years after transplant ation than in those studied within I month. The variance of systolic b lood pressure and its power spectrum did not differ between patients a nd controls. The results suggest that partial functional reinnervation of the sinus node occurs after heart transplantation in man.