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Frequency range extension of spectral analysis of pulse rate variability based on Hilbert–Huang transform

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Abstract

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a well-accepted indicator for neural regulatory mechanisms in cardiovascular circulation. Its spectrum analysis provides the powerful means of observing the modulation between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. The timescale of HRV is limited by discrete beat-to-beat time intervals; therefore, the exploration region of frequency band of HRV spectrum is relatively narrow. It had been proved that pulse rate variability (PRV) is a surrogate measurement of HRV in most of the circumstances. Moreover, arterial pulse wave contains small oscillations resulting from complex regulation of cardiac pumping function and vascular tone at higher frequency range. This study proposed a novel instantaneous PRV (iPRV) measurement based on Hilbert–Huang transform. Fifteen healthy subjects participated in this study and received continuous blood pressure wave recording in supine and passive head-up tilt. The result showed that the very-high-frequency band (0.4–0.9 Hz) varied during head-up tilt and had strong correlation (r = 0.77) with high-frequency band and medium correlation (r = 0.643) with baroreflex sensitivity. The very-high-frequency band of iPRV helps for the exploration of non-stationary autoregulation and provides the non-stationary spectral evaluation of HRV without distortion or information loss.

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Abbreviations

HR:

Heart rate

RRi:

Beat-to-beat interval

ECG:

Electrocardiogram

HRV:

HR variability

ANS:

Autonomic nervous system

SNS:

Sympathetic nervous system

PNS:

Parasympathetic nervous system

FFT:

Fast Fourier transform

LF:

Low frequency

HF:

High frequency

PRV:

Pulse rate variability

HHT:

Hilbert–Huang transform

EMD:

Empirical mode decomposition

IMFs:

Intrinsic mode functions

EEMD:

Ensemble EMD

CEEMD:

Complementary EEMD

ABP:

Arterial blood pressure

IF:

Instantaneous frequency

HT:

Hilbert transform

NHT:

Normalized HT

iPRV:

Instantaneous PRV

EtCO2 :

End-tidal CO2

HUT:

Head-up tilt

FM:

Frequency modulation

iPR:

Instantaneous PR

LH ratio:

Low–high ratio

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Acknowledgments

Research supported by Taiwan National Science Council under Grant Number: NSC 100-2314-B-040-003, NSC-102-2220-E-009-001, NSC-102-2220-E-009-023 and NSC-102-2627-E-010-001 and in part by “Aim for the Top University Plan” of the National Chiao Tung University and Ministry of Education, Taiwan, R.O.C. This work was also supported in part by the UST-UCSD International Center of Excellence in Advanced Bioengineering sponsored by the Taiwan National Science Council I-RiCE Program under Grant Number: NSC-101-2911-I-009-101.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Computer Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC

    Chia-Chi Chang

  2. Department of Computer Science, Institute of Biomedical Engineering; Biomedical Electronics Translational Research Center and Biomimetic Systems Research Center, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC

    Tzu-Chien Hsiao

  3. Department of Neurology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC

    Hung-Yi Hsu

  4. Section of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tungs’ Taichung Metro Harbor Hospital, No. 699, Sec. 1, Jhongci Road, Wuci District, Taichung, 435, Taiwan, ROC

    Hung-Yi Hsu

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Correspondence to Hung-Yi Hsu.

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Chang, CC., Hsiao, TC. & Hsu, HY. Frequency range extension of spectral analysis of pulse rate variability based on Hilbert–Huang transform. Med Biol Eng Comput 52, 343–351 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-013-1135-5

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