Heart rate variability in acute anorexia nervosa reflects parasympathetic predominance that does not consistently normalize during recovery, especially in short-term recordings.
Does heart rate variability reflect autonomic alterations across clinical stages in patients with anorexia nervosa?
HRV assessment reveals persistent parasympathetic predominance in anorexia nervosa that does not reliably resolve with recovery, with short-term recordings yielding the most consistent data.
Overall, HRV reflects autonomic alterations in AN, particularly in the acute phase characterised by parasympathetic predominance. HRV does not consistently normalise during recovery. These findings are strongly moderated by recording duration. Short-term recordings show more consistent effects.
Santiago et al. (2026) studied this question. Heart rate variability in acute anorexia nervosa reflects parasympathetic predominance that does not consistently normalize during recovery, especially in short-term recordings.