Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31995968›Full record

ArticlePsychiatry investigation2020

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alterations in Resting Heart Rate Variability: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Fenfen Ge, Minlan Yuan, Ying Li, Wei Zhang

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Psychiatry investigation, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06429293 (Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Neural, Inflammatory, & Autonomic Markers in a Sample With PTSD and Cardiovascular Risk), which is not on this map. Cited by 42 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
42citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06429293 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Neural, Inflammatory, & Autonomic Markers in a Sample With PTSD and Cardiovascular Risk: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorMassachusetts General HospitalRan2023 to 2026Enrolled30ConditionsPosttraumatic Stress DisorderArmsCognitive processing therapy
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

42 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  17. Heart rate variability in unstably housed Veterans with mental health conditions.Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Fenfen GeMental Health Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Minlan YuanMental Health Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Ying LiEmbedded System and Intelligent Computing Laboratory, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
Wei ZhangMental Health Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 81371484National Natural Science Foundation of China 81701328National Natural Science Foundation of China 81871061Sichuan University 2018SCU12042
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe functions of both the central and peripheral autonomic nervous system, indexed by heart rate variability (HRV), are affected by psychology and physiology. This review summarizes the results of studies comparing the evaluation of HRV parameters between individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and healthy controls.

methodsEligible studies (n=499) were identified through literature searches of the EMBASE, Medline, PubMed and Web of Science databases. Nineteen studies met our inclusion criteria. A random effects model was used, and standardized mean differences for highfrequency HRV(HF-HRV), low-frequency HRV(LF-HRV) and the root mean square of successive R-R interval differences (RMSSD) were calculated.

resultsSignificant effects were found for HF-HRV [p<0.0001, Z=4.18; Hedges'g=-1.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-2.32, -0.84); k=14] and RMSSD [p<0.00001, Z=4.80; Hedges'g=-1.96, 95% CI (-2.76, -1.16); k=9] relative to healthy controls. Considerable heterogeneity was revealed, but the main effects for HF-HRV and RMSSD were robust in subsequent meta-regression and subgroup analyses.

conclusionGiven the relationships among low vagal state, inflammation, and alterations in brain structure and function, including executive function and emotion regulation, reduced HRV may be regarded as an endophenotype in PTSD research.

Indexed as

EndophenotypeHeart rate variabilityMeta-analysisPosttraumatic stress disorder

Identifiers

PMID31995968
PMCPMC6992856

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.