Longitudinal Autonomic Nervous System Measures Correlate With Stress and Ulcerative Colitis Disease Activity and Predict Flare

Abstract Background Differences in autonomic nervous system function, measured by heart rate variability (HRV), have been observed between patients with inflammatory bowel disease and healthy control patients and have been associated in cross-sectional studies with systemic inflammation. High HRV has been associated with low stress. Methods Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were followed for 9 months. Their HRV was measured every 4 weeks using the VitalPatch, and blood was collected at baseline and every 12 weeks assessing cortisol, adrenocorticotropin hormone, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Stool was collected at enrollment and every 6 weeks for fecal calprotectin. Surveys assessing symptoms, stress, resilience, quality of life, anxiety, and depression were longitudinally collected. Results Longitudinally evaluated perceived stress was significantly associated with systemic inflammation (CRP, P = 0.03) and UC symptoms (P = 0.02). There was a significant association between HRV and stress (low-frequency to high-frequency power [LFHF], P = 0.04; root mean square of successive differences [RMSSD], P = 0.04). The HRV was associated with UC symptoms (LFHF, P = 0.03), CRP (high frequency, P < 0.001; low frequency, P < 0.001; RMSSD, P < 0.001), and fecal calprotectin (high frequency, P < 0.001; low frequency, P < 0.001; RMSSD, P < 0.001; LFHF, P < 0.001). Significant changes in HRV indices from baseline developed before the identification of a symptomatic or inflammatory flare (P < 0.001). Conclusions Longitudinally evaluated HRV was associated with UC symptoms, inflammation, and perceived and physiological measures of stress. Significant changes in HRV were observed before the development of symptomatic or inflammatory flare.