Are heart rate responses reproducible in the tilt-table test?

Abstract

Measurement of blood pressure and heart rate in active orthostasis has proven to be effective in the diagnosis of autonomic regulatory dysfunctions. The following study was carried out in order to clarify to what extent reproducible heart rate reactions also occur in passive orthostasis. 61 people with normal results in five standardized tests were examined. All 61 test persons had individually differing courses of heart rate. After an initial increase of frequency an almost straight line results from a superimposed projection of the graphs. In 20 of these cases the tilt-table test was repeated in order to detect intra-individual regularities. Even when the test was repeated, no reproducible intraindividual heart rate reactions occurred. And here as well, projection of the graphs produced an almost straight line. We could not find any quotient, such as the 30/15 ratio in active orthostasis, during our tests with the tilt-table.