Impact of respiratory physical therapy on heart rate autonomic control in children with leukemia.

Introduction: Considering that heart rate (HR) autonomic control is impaired in cancer and subsequent respiratory effort may overload the heart, we aimed to evaluate the effect of a respiratory physical therapy session on HR autonomic regulation in children with leukemia so as to confirm its safety.

Methods: We selected children with leukemia (n = 10) and healthy children (n = 11), which were submitted to a session of respiratory physical therapy. We used Spiron Kids (NCS, Brazil), Children's Voldyne (HUDSON RCI, USA), and Shaker (NCS, Brazil) as respiratory devices.

Is heart rate variability a valuable method to investigate cardiac autonomic dysfunction in subjects with leukemia? A systematic review to evaluate its importance in clinical practice.

Impaired cardiovascular and autonomic function during treatment and during recovery from leukemia has been indicated. In this context, heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive measure that describes the oscillations of the intervals between consecutive heart beats (RR intervals), influenced by the autonomic nervous system. We intend to review literature showing HRV changes in leukemia subjects.