Cardiac autonomic control in individuals with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy during a powerchair football match

Abstract

Introduction: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are degenerative and disabling neuromuscular diseases with negative repercussions in several organ systems and poor quality of life perception. Powerchair football (PF) is a sport that caters to individuals with the most severe disabilities, making it possible for people with DMD and BMD to participate in sports through a motorized wheelchair. Thus, this sport can be used as a strategy to generate several psycho-emotional and physical benefits and to facilitate the social inclusion of people with disabilities. Objective: To investigate cardiac autonomic control in PF players with DMD and BMD during a match. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with six individuals who participated in the VII Brazilian Wheelchair Soccer Championship. Cardiac autonomic control was investigated by analyzing heart rate variability (HRV) index: rMSSD (ms), obtained using a cardiofrequency meter during a PF match (study timepoints: 15 minutes before the match, during the match and 10 minutes after the match). The RR intervals were exported to Polar Flow software and then processed using Kubius HRV software. Comparisons among the three study times were performed using nonparametric statistical procedures, with a significance level of 5% (SPSS 20.0). Results: Statistically significant differences were found in the comparison between the “pre-match” and “match” timepoints, with lower values at the “match” timepoints. No differences were observed between the “match” and “post-match” timepoints. Conclusion: Compared with pre-match autonomic control, changes were observed in the cardiac autonomic control of individuals with DMD and BMD during a PF match; however, 10 minutes seemed not to be sufficient for the reestablishment of the pre-match conditions.