Table 3.
Cardiovascular function characteristics of study participants. Baroreflex and haemodynamic variables at rest: results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation
| Variables | All patients (69) |
Fallers (26) |
Non-fallers (43) |
P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baroreflex function | ||||
| Up-ramps (n°) | 20.4 ± 18.9 | 20.9 ± 22.9 | 20.1 ± 15.8 | 0.632 |
| Down-ramps (n°) | 18.4 ± 15.9 | 19.1 ± 18.3 | 17.9 ± 14.2 | 0.811 |
| Total-ramps (n°) | 38.8 ± 34.3 | 40 ± 40.7 | 38 ± 29.8 | 0.688 |
| Up-events (n°) | 4.5 ± 7.1 | 2.6 ± 3.7 | 5.7 ± 8.4 | 0.125 |
| Down-events (n°) | 4.8 ± 6.4 | 3.3 ± 4.5 | 5.7 ± 7.3 | 0.347 |
| Total-events (n°) | 9.3 ± 13 | 6 ± 7.9 | 11.4 ± 15.1 | 0.129 |
| Up-BEI (%) | 20.6 ± 25.2 | 14.6 ± 20.2 | 24.7 ± 27.7 | 0.165 |
| Down-BEI (%) | 27.9 ± 26.4 | 20.3 ± 22.7 | 32.9 ± 27.7 | 0.103 |
| Total-BEI (%) | 25.4 ± 25 | 17.7 ± 19.1 | 30.6 ± 27.4 | 0.078 |
| BRS (ms/mmHg) | 9.3 ± 7.1 | 10.3 ± 9.3 | 8.8 ± 5.9 | 0.806 |
| Haemodynamic variables | ||||
| RRI (ms) | 894.9 ± 163.1 | 867.7 ± 112.4 | 911.4 ± 186.8 | 0.240 |
| HR (bpm) | 69.5 ± 12 | 70.7 ± 9.3 | 68.8 ± 13.4 | 0.506 |
| contSBP (mmHg) | 124 ± 23.1 | 127 ± 26.2 | 122.1 ± 21.1 | 0.462 |
| contDBP (mmHg) | 77.8 ± 14.8 | 76.8 ± 12.5 | 78.4 ± 16.1 | 0.756 |
| contmBP (mmHg) | 97.2 ± 17.7 | 97.9 ± 16.9 | 96.8 ± 18.4 | 0.801 |
| SV (ml) | 64.4 ± 14.4 | 63.6 ± 12.1 | 64.8 ± 15.7 | 0.921 |
| CO (L/min) | 4.4 ± 1.2 | 4.5 ± 0.9 | 4.4 ± 1.3 | 0.416 |
| TPR (dyne*s/cm5) | 1777 ± 501 | 1716 ± 371 | 1816 ± 570 | 0.440 |
| SI (ml/m2) | 34.8 ± 8.8 | 35.2 ± 7.8 | 34.5 ± 9.5 | 0.455 |
| CI (L/min*m2) | 2.4 ± 0.7 | 2.5 ± 0.5 | 2.4 ± 0.8 | 0.167 |
| TPRI(dyne*s*m2/cm5) | 3330 ± 1037 | 3121 ± 710 | 3464 ± 1190 | 0.154 |
| TFC (1/kΩ) | 32.9 ± 10.8 | 34.6 ± 12.1 | 31.9 ± 10 | 0.365 |
| OscSBP (mmHg) | 128.2 ± 22 | 134.4 ± 26.3 | 124.8 ± 18.7 | 0.094 |
| OscDBP (mmHg) | 81 ± 13.9 | 82.4 ± 12.8 | 80.2 ± 14.5 | 0.553 |
Abbreviations: Up-BEI up-events baroreceptor effectiveness index, Down-BEI down-events baroreceptor effectiveness index, Total-BEI total-events baroreceptor effectiveness index, BRS baroreflex sensitivity, RRI R-R interval, HR heart rate, contSBP continuous systolic blood pressure, contDBP continuous diastolic blood pressure, contmBP continuous mean blood pressure, SV stroke volume, CO cardiac output, TPR total peripheral resistance, SI stroke index, CI cardiax index, TPRI total peripheral resistance index, TFC thoracic fluid content, OscSBP oscillometric systolic blood pressure, OscDBP oscillometric diastolic blood pressure