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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Aging Psychiatry
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1485183

Heart rate variability, a potential assessment tool for identifying anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders in elderly individuals

Provisionally accepted
Wenna Liu Wenna Liu Shutong Wang Shutong Wang Hanyang Gu Hanyang Gu Rong Li Rong Li *
  • Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: This study investigates how anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders impact heart rate variability (HRV) in the elderly, exploring the clinical implications of HRV changes. Methods: We examined 355 patients (163 men, 192 women) at Xijing Hospital from July 2021 to December 2022 during health check-ups. Demographics were recorded, and emotional status was assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale (PSQI) evaluated sleep quality. Patients were categorized into groups A-G based on the presence of emotional states and sleep disorders. HRV indices—SDNN, SDANN, RMSSD, PNN50, LF/HF, LF, and HF—were analyzed using ANOVA and multivariate logistic regression. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed in demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors across the eight groups. Variables assessed included age, sex, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood lipids, blood pressure, heart rate, and histories of smoking and alcohol consumption. Additionally, the presence of hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, marital status, income, and education level were evaluated, with all showing equivalence (P > 0.05). Significant differences in HRV indices were observed across groups, particularly in group G (patients with anxiety, depression and sleep disorders), which showed decreased HRV parameters except LF/HF, and group H (control group), which showed increased parameters, also except LF/HF (P < 0.01). Anxiety was an independent risk factor for reduced SDNN, SDANN, and LF (P ≤ 0.01), and increased LF/HF ratio (P < 0.01). Depression was linked to decreased SDNN, RMSSD, PNN50, and HF (P < 0.05). Sleep disorders independently predicted reduced PNN50 and SDANN (P < 0.01). Conclusion: HRV indices of individuals with varying emotional states and sleep disorders exhibited varying degrees of decrease. Anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders presented a superimposed effect on HRV. SDNN, SDANN, RMSSD, PNN50, HF and LF of HRV are of great reference value in the diagnosis of emotional and sleep disorders. For elderly patients experiencing cognitive impairment, HRV is anticipated to serve as a convenient and effective tool for assessing mood and sleep disorders.

    Keywords: Anxiety, Depression, Sleep disorders, Heart rate variability, Elderly individuals All subjects were grouped as follows. Group A: Anxiety group, 45 cases, Group B: Depression group, 42 cases, Group C: Sleep disorder group, 43 cases, Group D: Anxiety combined with depression group, 44 cases, Group E: Anxiety combined with sleep disorder group, 46 cases, Group F: Depression combined with sleep disorder group, 47 cases, Group G: Anxiety, depression and sleep disorder group, 46 cases, Group H: Control group, 42 cases

    Received: 23 Aug 2024; Accepted: 07 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Liu, Wang, Gu and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Rong Li, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China

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