Table 3.
Characteristics of the studies included.
| Author, year | Participants [sample size, age (year), gender] | HRV protocol (method, respiration, position) | HR- and HRV-parameters | Cardiovascular health and risk factors | Recording length | Intervention (type, duration, sessions/week) | Control group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Badrov et al., 2013 | 32 (IHG3: 12; IHG5: 11; CG: 9) Age: IHG3: 23 ± 4; IHG5: 27 ± 6; CG: 24 ± 8 100% female |
1-lead ECG Spontaneous Supine 1.000 Hz |
RHR, SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, LF (ln, ms2), HF (ln, ms2), LF nu, HF nu, TP (ln, ms2), LF/HF, SampEn, α1 | BP | 10 min (256 beats for analysis) | Isometric handgrip training 8 weeks IHG3: 3, IHG5: 5 sessions |
Yes |
| Bond et al., 2009 | 32 (TG: 16; CG: 16) Age: TG: 20.4 ± 1.9; CG: 22.4 ± 2.2 100% male |
2-lead ECG 6 breaths/min n.r. 500 Hz |
RHR, HF nu | SBP, VO2 peak | 5 min | Endurance (bicycle) 8 weeks 3 sessions |
Yes |
| Boutcher et al., 2013 | 32 (TG: 16; CG: 16) Age: TG: 23.0 ± 4.0; CG: 21.1 ± 2.4 100% female |
Polar S810i chest belt Spontaneous Supine n.r. |
RHR, LF (ln, ms2), HF (ln, ms2), LF nu, HF nu | BF, BM, VO2 max | 15 min | HIIE (cycle ergometer) 12 weeks 3 sessions |
yes |
| Brown et al., 2014 | 73 (NW: 27; BW: 27, CG: 19) (Baseline: N=94) Baseline: Age: NW: 46.3 ± 9.4; BW: 39.3 ± 10.3; CG: 40.2 ± 11.0 NW: 81% male; BW: 73% male; CG: 83% male |
eMotion sensor ECG n.r. Sitting n.r. |
RHR, ln HF | BM, BMI, BP, HRR | 3 min | Walking 8 weeks 2 sessions |
Yes |
| Buchheit et al., 2010 | 14 Age: 36 ± 7 100% male |
Polar S810 chest belt Spontaneous Supine n.r. |
RHR, ln RMSSD (weekly average of 1st and 8th week) | BF, BM, HRR | 5 min | Endurance (continuous runs and intervals) 8 weeks 3–4 sessions |
No |
| Cheema et al., 2013 | 37 (TG: 18; CG: 19) Age: TG: 37 ± 12; CG: 39 ± 13 7 men, 30 women |
ECG (Sphygmocor) Spontaneous Supine n.r. |
RHR, ln SDNN, ln RMSSD, pNN50, ln HF, ln LF, ln LF/HF, ln TP | 10 min | Yoga 10 weeks 3 sessions |
yes | |
| Chu et al., 2015 | 52 (TG: 26, CG: 26) Age: TG: 27.58 ± 5.72; CG: 24.85 ± 5.17 100% female |
ECG n.r. Supine 1.024 Hz |
LF nu, HF nu, LF/HF | 10 min | Yoga 8 weeks 2 sessions |
Yes | |
| Cooke and Carter, 2005 | 22 (TG: 12; CG: 10) Age: TG: 21 ± 0.3; CG: 22 ± 0.7 TG: 1 woman; CG: 3 women |
3-lead ECG 15 breaths/min Supine 500 Hz |
mRR, SDNN, LF, HF, LF nu, HF nu | BR, SBP | 5 min | Resistance (whole body) 8 weeks 3 sessions |
Yes (recreationally active) |
| da Silva et al., 2019 | 30 (HRVG: 15; CG: 15) Age: HRVG: 25.8 ± 3.1; CG: 27.7 ± 3.6 100% female |
Polar RS800CX Spontaneous Standing n.r. |
RMSSD | HRR | 3 min | Endurance (running) 8 weeks 3 sessions |
Yes (predefined training program) |
| Duarte et al., 2015 | 40 (TG: 22; CG: 18) Age: TG: TL: 19.2 ± 1.0; TH:19.5 ± 1.2. CG: CL: 19.1 ± 0.3; CH:18.9 ± 0.6 100% male |
3-lead ECG Spontaneous Supine 1.000 Hz |
RHR, RMSSD, HF nu, LF nu, LF/HF | HRR | 5 min | Endurance (running) 12 weeks 3 sessions |
Yes |
| Gamelin et al., 2007 | 10 Age: 21.7 ± 2.2 100% male |
Polar S810 12 breaths/min Supine 1.000 Hz |
mRR, SDNN, RMSSD, NN50, pNN50, ln (LF+HF), ln LF, ln HF, LF nu, HF nu, LF/HF, SD1, SD2 | VO2 max | 5 min (last 256 s for analysis) | Endurance (intervals and continuous runs on a treadmill) 12 weeks 2–4 sessions |
No |
| Heffernan et al., 2007 | 14 Age: 25.0 ± 1.1 100% male |
1-lead ECG 12 breaths/min Supine 1.000 Hz |
mRR, SDNN, ln TP, ln LF, LF nu, ln HF, HF nu, LF/HF, SampEn, LZEn | BF, BM, HRR, VO2 peak | At least 200 NN intervals | Resistance (whole body) 6 weeks 3 sessions |
No |
| Heffernan et al., 2009 | 39 Age: African Americans: 22 ± 1; Whites: 24 ± 1 100% male |
1-lead ECG 12 breaths/min Supine 1.000 Hz |
mRR, RMSSD, pNN50, ln TP, ln LF, LF nu, ln HF, HF nu, ln LF/HF, SampEn | BF, BM, BR, HRR, VO2 peak | 15 min (220–260 s for analysis) | Resistance (whole body) 6 weeks 3 sessions |
No |
| Heydari et al., 2013 | 38 (TG: 20; CG: 18) Age: 24.9 ± 4.3 100% male |
Polar RS800CX Spontaneous Supine 1.000 Hz |
RHR, RMSSD, pNN50, ln + ms2 (TP HF, LF, VLF) | BM, BMI, BP, BR, VO2 max | 30 min | HIIE (8 s sprints on cycle ergometer) 12 weeks 3 sessions |
Yes |
| Kim et al., 2017 | 34 (MAT: 12: HAT: 12; CG: 10) Age: MAT: 24.08 ± 0.62; HAT: 23.25 ± 0.63; CG: 23.30 ± 0.47 100% male |
Polar RS800CX 15 breaths/min Sitting 256 Hz |
RHR, RMSSD, pNN50, HF, HF nu, LF nu, LF/HF, SD1, SD1/SD2 | BMI, BP, VO2 max | 10 min | Endurance (walking/running on a treadmill) 8 weeks 3 sessions |
Yes |
| Kiviniemi et al., 2010 | 53 (ST: 14; HRV-I: 14: HRV-II: 10; CG: 15) Age: Men: ST: 37 ± 3; HRV-I: 35 ± 4; CG: 34 ± 4. Women: ST: 34 ± 4; HRV-I: 33 ± 4; HRV-II: 35 ± 4; CG: 34 ± 4 21 men, 32 women |
12-lead ECG Spontaneous 2 min sitting and 3 min standing n.r. |
RHR, SD1 | VO2 peak | 5 min | Endurance (running, walking or cycling) 8 weeks at least 5 sessions |
Yes |
| Martinmaki et al., 2008 | 11 Age: 36.8 ± 7.2 100% male |
Polar Electro Spontaneous Supine, sitting and standing 1.000 Hz |
RHR, TP, HF, LF | VO2 peak | 3 × 3 min | Endurance (cycling, running, Nordic Walking) 14 weeks 2 sessions |
No |
| McHugh et al., 2012 | 16 Age: 23.94 ± 5.57 (post) 7 males, 9 females |
2-lead ECG 12 breaths/min Supine 1.000 Hz |
HF nu, LF/HF | BF, BM, BMI, HRR, VO2 max | 5 min | Endurance (recreational jogging) 7 weeks 2 sessions |
No |
| Moreira et al., 2017 | 18 (TG: 10; CG: 8) Age: TG: 25.4 ± 3.3; CG: 29.6 ± 6.3 100% male |
Polar RS800CX n.r. Sitting n.r. |
RHR, RMSSD, mRR, pNN50, SD1 | BP | 20 min | Capoeira 10 weeks 1 session |
Yes |
| Nuuttila et al., 2017 | 24 (HRVG, 13; PD: 11) Age: HRVG: 29 ± 4: PD: 31 ± 5 100% male |
Morning: Garmin 920XT; night: Firstbeat Bodyguard Decvice n.r. Supine n.r. |
RHR, RMSSD, LF, HF, TP | BF, BM, VO2 max | 3 min morning, 4 h night | HIT [running and resistance (whole body)] 8 weeks 6 sessions |
No |
| Pal et al., 2014 | 60 (20-29y, 30–39y, 40–49y; 20 in each group) Age: AG I: 20–29; AG II: 30–39; AG III: 40–50 100% male |
ECG (ProComp) n.r. Supine n.r. |
RHR, mRR, SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, HF nu, LF nu, LF/HF, TP | BM, BMI, BP | 5 min | Yoga 3 months 6 sessions |
No |
| de Rezende Barbosa et al., 2016 | 29 (FTG: 13; CG: 16) Age: FTG: 23.0 ± 2.1; CG: 20.6 ± 1.3 100% female |
Polar S810i chest belt Spontaneous Supine n.r. |
mRR, RRtri, TINN, SD1, SD2, SD1/SD2 | 20 min | Resistance (whole body) 12 weeks 3 sessions |
Yes | |
| Schumann et al., 2017 | 24 (ST: 14; TLG: 10) Age: 34.0 ± 7.0 100% male |
Polar RS800CX n.r. Supine and standing n.r. |
RHR, RMSSD, HF, LF, LF/HF (12th vs. 24th week) | BF, BM, VO2 max (12th vs. 24th week) | 180 s supine, 120 s standing | Endurance (focused on running) 12 weeks 4–6 sessions |
No |
| Sousa Fortes et al., 2018 | 31 (CLG: 10; MS: 11; CG: 10) Age: CL: 22.04 ± 1.7; MS: 21.72 ± 1.7; CG: 21.85 ± 1.9 100% male |
Polar RS800CX n.r. n.r. 1.000 Hz |
Ln RMSSD | 5 min | Resistance (bench press and leg press) 8 weeks 3 sessions |
Yes | |
| Varela-Sanz et al., 2017 | 31 (TT: 11, PT: 10, CG: 10) Age: TT: 22.36 ± 2.62; PT: 21 ± 2.71; CG: 22.2 ± 2.44 26 men, 5 women |
Polar S800 n.r. Supine and standing n.r. |
RHR, SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF | BM, BMI, VO2 max (estimated) | n.r. | 2x endurance (brisk walking or running) and resistance (bench press and half squat), 1x endurance 8 weeks 3 sessions |
Yes |
| Wu et al., 2011 | 47 (TG: 22; CG: 25; Follow-up: 17) Age: TG: 21.0 ± 1; CG: 21.0 ± 0.9 100% female |
1-lead ECG n.r. Sitting n.r. |
RHR, SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF, LF nu, HF nu | BMI | 5 min | Endurance (running on a treadmill) 6 weeks 3 sessions |
yes |
AG, age group; BF, body fat; BM, body mass; BMI, body mass index; BP, blood pressure; BR, baroreflex sensitivity; BW, built walk group; CG, control group; CH, control group with high levels of HF at baseline; CL, control group with low levels of HF at baseline; CLG, clustering group; ECG, electrocardiography; FTG, functional training group; HAT, high-intensity aerobic training; HF (nu), power in high frequency range (in normalized units); HIIE, high-intensity intermittent exercise; HRR, heart rate recovery; HRV-I and II, HRV guided training based on daily HRV measurements; HRVG, HRV guided training group; IHG3, isometric handgrip training 3 days per week; IHG5, isometric handgrip training 5 days per week; LF (nu), power in low frequency range (in normalized units); ln, natural logarithm; LZEn, Lempel-Ziv entropy; MAT, moderate-intensity aerobic training; MS, multi-sets group; mRR, mean RR interval; NN50, number of pairs of adjacent NN intervals differing by more than 50 ms in the entire recording; n.r., not reported; NW, nature walk group; PD, predetermined training group; pNN50, NN50 count divided by the total number of all NN intervals; PT, polarized training group; RHR, resting heart rate; RMSSD, square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent NN intervals; RRtri, HRV triangular index; SampEn, sample entropy; SBP, systolic blood pressure; SD1, standard deviation of instantaneous beat-to-beat variability, extracted from Poincaré Plot; SD2, standard deviation of the long-term variability, extracted from Poincaré Plot; SDNN, standard deviation of NN intervals; ST, standard training group; TG, training group; TH, training group with high levels of HF at baseline; TINN, baseline width of the minimum square difference triangular interpolation of the highest peak of the histogram of all NN intervals; TL, training group with low levels of HF at baseline; TLG, training load-guided (based on estimated cumulated training load); TP, total power; TT, traditional-based group; VLF, power in very low frequency range; VO2 max, maximum oxygen consumption; VO2 peak, peak oxygen consumption; α1, short-term component of Detrended Fluctuation Analysis.