Heart Rate Variability and Multisystem Biochemical Alterations in Chronic Alcohol Users: A Comparative Cross-sectional Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction: Chronic alcohol use can affect cardiac autonomic regulation and several laboratory domains that influence cardiovascular and metabolic risk. Heart rate variability (HRV), lipid profile, thyroid function, coagulation parameters, and glycaemic indices may therefore provide clinically useful markers of multisystem physiological disturbance. Objective: To compare HRV indices and selected lipid, thyroid, coagulation, and glycaemic parameters between chronic alcohol users and healthy controls. Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2025 to December 2025 and included 100 participants, comprising 50 chronic alcohol users and 50 healthy controls. Age, sex, body mass index, HRV indices (SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF, LF/HF ratio), lipid profile, thyroid profile, coagulation parameters, fasting glucose, and HbA1c were compared between groups using appropriate non-parametric and categorical tests. Results: Age was comparable between alcohol users and controls (44.62 ± 5.31 vs. 43.72 ± 5.21 years; p=0.405), while BMI was higher among alcohol users (28.98 ± 3.39 vs. 24.63 ± 2.00 kg/m²; p<0.001). Alcohol users had lower SDNN (32.32 ± 4.53 vs. 51.20 ± 4.17 ms), lower RMSSD (19.66 ± 2.84 vs. 37.35 ± 3.25 ms), lower HF power (119.72 ± 18.52 vs. 274.20 ± 23.37 ms²), and higher LF/HF ratio (1.57 ± 0.05 vs. 1.34 ± 0.01) than controls (all p<0.001). Lipid, thyroid, coagulation, fasting glucose, and HbA1c parameters also differed significantly between groups. Conclusion: Chronic alcohol users showed reduced HRV, an atherogenic lipid pattern, altered thyroid profile, lower platelet count with prolonged coagulation times, and higher glycaemic indices compared with healthy controls. These findings support the clinical relevance of integrated autonomic and biochemical screening in chronic alcohol use, particularly in tertiary-care and de-addiction settings.
Source: Journal of chemical health risks
Author: Vasanthan S
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7218019634