Heart rate variability responses determined by photoplethysmography in people with spinal cord injury. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Henrique Rufino Batista, Luiz; Jorge Ribeiro Domingues, Wagner; de Athayde Costa e Silva, Anselmo; Augusta Thomé Lopes, Kathya; Leopoldina de Castro Amorim, Minerva; Rossato, Mateus
• Is Part Of: Biomedical signal processing and control. Volume 69(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Heart rate variability -- Photoplethysmography and Spinal cord injury -- Assistive technologies -- Autonomic regulation -- Mobile health; Signal processing -- Periodicals; Biomedical engineering -- Periodicals; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted -- Periodicals; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted -- Periodicals; Biomedical Engineering -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bspc.2021.102845
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1746-8094

Abstract

Highlights: The HRV values measured by PPG are significantly correlated with the values evaluated by the Polar H7 TM method. PPG overestimates HRV values for those with SCI. Smartphone-based PPG can be a viable and inexpensive alternative for assessing HRV in SCI. Abstract: This study aims to evaluate whether the photoplethysmography technique (PPG) can be used as an instrument to assess heart rate variability (HRV) parameters in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Twenty-one subjects (2 tetraplegic, 18 paraplegic and 1 diplegic) participated in the study (37.5 ± 12.3 years, 58.8 ± 15.7 kg and 160.0 ± 21.4 cm). HRV parameters were obtained simultaneously for 5 min with PPG (HRV-4 training TM mobile app) and Polar H7 TM . Although significant correlations between PPG and Polar H7 TM have been found for SDNN (r = 0.508, p = 0.019), RMSSD (r = 0.456, p = 0.038), PNN50 (r = 0.620, p = 0.003) and LF (r = 0.456, p = 0.038) parameters, Bland-Altman analyses of agreement showed that PPG overestimates all HRV parameters (SDNN, Bias = 47.61 ms; RMSSD, Bias = 17.91 ms; PNN50, Bias = 11.52%; LF, Bias = 0.22 Hz; and HF, Bias = 0.18 Hz). These results indicate that the HRV parameters have a correlation between the methods evaluated by PPG and PolarH7 TM . However, caution is recommended when using PPG for HRV analysis in people with spinal cord injury, as the results indicate an overestimation of HRV parameters.