Gastric electrical activity and cardiovascular risk factors in relation to autonomic nervous function, hormonal responses, and health-related lifestyles in young men

Background: Electrogastrography (EGG) is the noninvasive recording of gastric myoelectrical activity. The purpose of the present study was to assess associations of EGG with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), autonomic nervous function, hormonal responses, and health-related lifestyles. Methods: EGG was measured in 435 Japanese men, aged 24-39 years, who worked at the same company. In addition to anthropometric measurements and blood examinations, power spectral analysis of heart rate variability in low-frequency (LF; 0.04-0.15 Hz) and high-frequency (HF; 0.15-0.40 Hz) bands was conducted. LF/HF and HF were used as the indicators of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous activity, respectively. Serum cortisol and catecholamine levels were measured as well. Results: In univariate analyses, the EGG frequency was associatedpositively with the serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and cholesterol level (both-P < 0.0001) and negatively with age, body mass index (BMI), serum triglyceride level, fasting blood sugar, and diastolic blood pressure (all P < 0.05). The EGG frequency tended to increase with increases in the HF band (P = 0.10) and was not significantly associated with the LF/HF ratio (P = 0.45). Neither hormonal responses nor health-related lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol were significant (all P > 0.05). A multivariate analysis indicated that both the HDL cholesterol level and BMI were independent predictors of EGG frequency (both P < 0.05), after adjusting for the significant effects of age, HF, and other CVD factors. Conclusions: Slowed EGG frequency appeared to be linked with various CVD risk factors, including obesity and low HDL cholesterol levels, in young men.