Correlation of 5-minutes heart rate variability with health performance of resident physicians in covid 19 pandemic

Introduction: Resident physicians have high exposure risk and infection rate of Covid 19. Their health condition is one of determining factors in Covid-19 prevalence. Thus, we evaluated the following variables: exercise capacity, Resting Heart Rate (RHR), several body compositions from Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), and Body Mass Index (BMI) that resemble health conditions. Then, those variables were correlated with HRV (Heart Rate Variability), which strongly influences fitness and immunity. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March to September 2021 and involved 149 resident physicians in medical faculty of Universitas Syiah Kuala. The basic data of respondents was filled in through questionnaires and other data obtained from measuring HRV, RHR, 6 minutes walk test (6mwt), BIA, and BMI. We used Spearman's correlation to assess the relationship of each data with HRV. Result: Standard deviation of NN interval (SDNN) and low frequency (LF) negatively correlated with RHR (p = 0.000, r = -0.400 and p = 0.000, r = -0.332, respectively); BMI (p = 0.004, r = -0.233 and p=0.024, r=-0.185); and BIA variable (total fat) (p = 0.000, r = -0.286 and p=0.000, r=-0.319). SDNN and LF positively correlated with 6MWT (p= 0.040, r= 0.169 and p=0.021, r=0.189). Conclusion: Increasing exercise capacity plays an important role in increasing fitness levels, which is marked by increased HRV values. While the increase in RHR, BIA, and BMI values causes a decrease in HRV values, indicating a decrease in fitness level.