# Inflammation and Reduced Parasympathetic Cardiac Modulation in Aortic-Valve Sclerosis
## 3 Results  
All anthropometric and clinical variables as well as laboratory results were similar between groups (Table 1). All variables were within normal range, except for the body mass index and C-reactive protein values. AVS subjects had significantly larger left ventricular mass index and relative wall thickness compared to NAVS subjects (Table 2), while all other echocardiographic indices were similar between groups. Serum markers of the inflammation process are shown in Table 3. In comparison with NAVS subjects, the AVS group presented significantly higher serum levels of IL-6 and TNF\(\alpha\). All other markers were similar between groups. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c} \hline \hline
**Variable** & **NAVS (N = 16)** & **AVS (N = 45)** & \(p\)**Value** \\ \hline \hline \begin{tabular}{l} QRS width (ms) \\ PR interval (ms) \\ Left ventricular ejection fraction (\%) \\ Aortic- valve maximum flow velocity (m/s) \\ Aortic- valve mean gradient (mmHg) \\ Left ventricle mass (g) \\ Left ventricle mass index (g/m\({}^{2}\)) \\ Relative Wall Thickness \\ Relative Wall Thickness \(>0.42\) \\ \end{tabular} & \
\begin{tabular}{l} 93.9 \(\pm\) 8.3 \\ 150.6 \(\pm\) 27.7 \\ 62.3 \(\pm\) 6.1 \\ 1.2 \(\pm\) 0.3 \\ 3 (2–3) \\ 103 \(\pm\) 27 \\ 55 \(\pm\) 12 \\ 0.37 \(\pm\) 0.06 \\ 3 (19\%) \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{l} 95.1 \(\pm\) 10.5 \\ 157.4 \(\pm\) 18.5 \\ 60.4 \(\pm\) 5.9 \\ 1.3 \(\pm\) 0.2 \\ 3 (2–4) \\ 127 \(\pm\) 40 \\ 0.001 \\ 0.001 \\ 0.001 \\ 0.030 \\ 0.222 \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Indices from echocardiogram and electrocardiogram. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l c c c} \hline \hline
**Variable** & **NAVS (N = 16)** & **AVS (N = 45)** & \(p\)**Value** \\ \hline \
\begin{tabular}{l} Age (years) \\ Female sex \\ Body mass index (Kg/m\({}^{2}\)) \\ Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) \\ Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) \\ Heart rate (beats per minute) \\ Serum glucose (mg/dL) \\ Albumin (mg/dL) \\ Total cholesterol (mg/dL) \\ High density lipids (mg/dL) \\ Low density lipids (mg/dL) \\ Triglycerides (mg/dL) \\ \end{tabular} &
\begin{tabular}{l} 45 \(\pm\) 6 \\ 9 (56\%) \\ 28.6 \(\pm\) 3.6 \\ 112 (105–119) \\ 80 (76–80) \\ 62.4 \(\pm\) 7.0 \\ 87.5 \(\pm\) 13.5 \\ 4.3 \(\pm\) 0.2 \\ 198 \(\pm\) 36 \\ 39.2 \(\pm\) 10.4 \\ 131 \(\pm\) 34 \\ 150 (128–168) \\ 154 (100–193) \\ 2.9 \(\pm\)0.9 \\ 1.4 \(\pm\) 0.3 \\ 38 (84\%) \\ 15.0 \(\pm\) 1.9 \\ 44.8 \(\pm\) 4.9 \\ 44.7 \(\pm\) 4.8 \\ 44.7 \(\pm\) 4.8 \\ 150 (128–168) \\ 154 (100–193) \\ 2.9 \(\pm\)0.9 \\ 1.4–3.6 \\ 38 (84\%) \\ 15.0 \(\pm\) 1.9 \\ 44.8 \(\pm\) 4.9 \\ 44.7 \(\pm\) 4.8 \\ 44.7 \(\pm\) 4.8 \\ 150 (128–168) \\ 154 (100–193) \\ 2.9 \(\pm\)0.9 \\ 0.080 \\ 2.6 (1.4–3.6) \\ 2.3 (1.2–4.8) \\ 38 (84\%) \\ 15.0 \(\pm\) 1.9 \\ 44.8 \(\pm\) 4.9 \\ 44.8 \(\pm\) 4.9 \\ 44.7 \(\pm\) 4.8 \\ 150 (128–168) \\ 154 (100–193) \\ 2.9 \(\pm\)0.9 \\ 0.080 \\ 2.6 (1.4–3.6) \\ 2.3 (1.2–4.8) \\ 38 (84\%) \\ 15.0 \(\pm\) 1.9 \\ 44.8 \(\pm\) 4.9 \\ 44.7 \(\pm\) 4.8 \\ 4.7 \(\pm\) 4.8 \\ 7.5 \(\pm\) 2.3 \\ 6.7 \(\pm\) 1.6 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Anthropometric and clinical characteristics. Data are shown as absolute value (percentage), mean \(\pm\) standard deviation or median (percentile 25–percentile 75). At the supine position, AVS subjects had significantly smaller HF as well as larger LF, LF/HF, \(\alpha_{1}\), and \(\alpha_{\rm 1 sign}\) indices than NAVS subjects, while mean NN and time domain indexes (SDNN and pNN20) were similar between groups (Table 4). During the orthostatic position all HRV indexes were similar between groups. Compared with the NAVS group, the AVS group had significantly smaller change between the supine position and active standing (i.e., \(\Delta\)) in SDNN, LF, HF, and \(\alpha_{\rm 1 sign}\). Multiple logistic regression analysis with representative indices of autonomic modulation (LF/HF), inflammatory markers (TNF\(\alpha\) and IL6) and ventricular remodeling (LV mass index and RWT) found that larger values of LF/HF (O.R.