Abstract :
Among the different methods for evaluating autonomic
activity, the analysis of heart rate variability (HRV), a noninvasive approach by which quantitative information on the cardiac vagal and sympathetic control of heart rate (HR) can be
obtained in various physiological and pathological conditions,
has gained high popularity (1, 2). The analysis of HRV has been
shown to have clinical utility in testing autonomic function and
as a valuable predictor for various diseases (3).
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterized by the
association of endocrine disturbances and other disorders,
including obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and
hypertension, most of which are accompanied by enhanced
sympathetic tone (4). The analysis of HRV has revealed that
the autonomic control of HR in women with typical PCOS is
altered, with significantly increased sympatho-vagal interaction, as estimated using the ratio of the LF and HF components
of the HRV power spectra (5).
