Computerized simultaneous determination of natural age groups for 32 baroreflex arc function parameters and of the corresponding normal ranges for use in the diagnosis of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy

Spectral analysis of heart rate and blood pressure in Guillain-Barré patients with respiratory failure

The clinical value of heart rate and blood pressure variation (HRV and BPV) spectra was assessed in 11 consecutive patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) on artificial ventilation. Their HRV and BPV spectra were compared with those from 28 control intensive care unit (ICU) patients without peripheral nerve disorders. ICU controls had low respiratory HRV during controlled ventilation. If present, it was closely related to, but smaller than BPV, suggesting baroreceptor reflex mediation. Respiratory HRV similar to that of healthy controls was observed only in ICU controls with significant spontaneous ventilation. HRV was prominent in a subgroup of GBS patients who suffered from bradycardia or sinus arrest, whereas GBS patients without episodic bradycardia only exceptionally had respiratory HRV. Interpretation of HRV during artificial ventilation cannot be extrapolated from experience with spontaneously breathing subjects. In contrast to diabetic neuropathy, not loss, but preservation of respiratory HRV was ominous in artificially ventilated GBS patients. A pattern of prominent broad respiratory HRV peaks and narrow BPV peaks occurred only in GBS and forebode sinus arrest.

Assessment of cardiovascular autonomic function: age-related normal ranges and reproducibility of spectral analysis, vector analysis, and standard tests of heart rate variation and blood pressure responses

To establish normal ranges for assessment of autonomic dysfunction, a battery of cardiovascular reflex tests was performed in 120 healthy subjects aged 15-67 years using a computer-based technique. Tests of heart rate variation (HRV) included 8 measures at rest: coefficient of variation (CV), root mean squared successive difference (RMSSD), spectral analysis of HRV in the low frequency, mid frequency, and high frequency bands in the supine and standing postures; 5 measures during deep breathing: CVb, RMSSDb, Expiration-Inspiration (E-I) difference, E/I ratio, and mean circular resultant of vector analysis; Valsalva ratio, and max/min 30:15 ratio. In addition, the change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in response to standing and the diastolic blood pressure response to sustained handgrip were determined. The results of all measures, the blood pressure tests excepted, declined significantly with increasing age (r = -0.16 to -0.59; p less than 0.05). Moreover, RMSSD, RMSSDb, and E-I difference decreased considerably with increasing heart rate (r = -0.37 to -0.52; p less than 0.001). The longest and shortest R-R intervals in response to standing were distributed within beats 21-39 and 6-24, respectively. All tests were independent of sex. Log transformation was used to define the age-related lower limits of normal at the 2.3 centile for all tests of HRV, except for the E/I, Valsalva, and max/min 30:15 ratios. The results of these tests had to be analysed using a log(y-1) transformation. The intra-individual reproducibility determined on two consecutive days in 20 healthy subjects and 21 diabetic patients indicated that there were no major differences between the two groups regarding the day-to-day variation of test results, which was highest for the Valsalva ratio. We conclude that: (1) all indices of spectral and vector analyses of HRV are age-dependent and have the advantage of being independent of heart rate; (2) RMSSD, E-I difference, and the 30:15 ratio as it was used previously are not suitable for evaluation of autonomic dysfunction in diabetes; (3) log(y-1) transformation is required to determine age-dependent normal ranges and reproducibility for the three ratios.