Heart Rate Variability: Algorithms and Software Tools

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Department of Computer Science, ESEI, University of Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Interests: biomedical signal processing; ECG; heart rate variability
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Heart rate variability (HRV) can be defined as variations in time between contiguous heart beats. These variations are not constant, and they are regulated by factors extrinsic to the circulatory system, particularly by the nervous system. Thus, the analysis of the HRV allows evaluating, in both an indirect and noninvasive way, the state of the nervous system, and its sympathetic and parasympathetic components.

In the last few years, new analysis methodologies have been defined, new experiments to explain its physiological fundamentals have been developed, and clinical studies in various fields have been performed.

However, this is not a closed research field, and there are still problems that need to be solved: Nonstationary records, determining optimal measurement conditions, obtaining robust indexes, determination of normality, interoperability between measurement devices and applications, etc.

In this SI, we would like to receive contributions describing algorithms capable of improving heart rate signal recording and processing and obtaining robust HRV indexes, software tools that facilitate the work of scientists in the field, and advanced methodologies for clinical diagnosis. Potential topics include (but are not limited to):

  • Artifact removal and filtering;
  • Time domain robust indexes;
  • Spectral estimation;
  • Nonlinear indexes of heart rate variability;
  • Machine learning for clinical diagnosis;
  • Software tools for HRV analysis.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Xosé Antón Vila Sobrino
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Heart rate variability analysis
  • Spectral estimation of nonstationary signals
  • Nonlinear dynamic of heart rate
  • Robust heart rate variability indexes
  • Machine learning for heart rate variability based clinical diagnosis
  • Software tools for heart rate variability analysis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 3733 KiB  
Article
Introducing BisQ, A Bicoherence-Based Nonlinear Index to Explore the Heart Rhythm
by José Luis Hernández-Caceres, René Iván González-Fernández, Marlis Ontivero-Ortega and Guido Nolte
Math. Comput. Appl. 2020, 25(3), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/mca25030045 - 18 Jul 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2905
Abstract
Nonlinear frequency coupling is assessed with bispectral measures, such as bicoherence. In this study, BisQ, a new bicoherence-derived index, is proposed for assessing nonlinear processes in cardiac regulation. To find BisQ, 110 ten-minute ECG traces obtained from 55 participants were initially studied. Via [...] Read more.
Nonlinear frequency coupling is assessed with bispectral measures, such as bicoherence. In this study, BisQ, a new bicoherence-derived index, is proposed for assessing nonlinear processes in cardiac regulation. To find BisQ, 110 ten-minute ECG traces obtained from 55 participants were initially studied. Via bispectral analysis, a bicoherence matrix (BC) was obtained from each trace (0.06 to 1.8 Hz with a resolution of 0.01 Hz). Each frequency pair in BC was tested for correlation with the HRV recurrent quantification analysis (RQA) index Lmean, obtained from tachograms from the same ECG trace. BisQ is the result of adding BC values corresponding to the three frequency pairs exhibiting the highest correlation with Lmean. BisQ values were estimated for different groups of subjects: healthy persons, persons with arrhythmia, persons with epilepsy, and preterm neonates. ECG traces from persons with arrhythmia showed no significant differences in BisQ values respect to healthy persons, while persons with epilepsy and neonates showed higher BisQ values (p < 0.05; Mann-Whitney U-test). BisQ reflects nonlinear interactions at the level of sinus-and atrial-ventricular nodes, and most likely cardiorespiratory coupling as well. We expect that BisQ will allow for further exploration of cardiac nonlinear dynamics, complementing available HRV indices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heart Rate Variability: Algorithms and Software Tools)
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