Phase-Rectified Signal Averaging to Evaluate ANS Development in Premature Infants

Maristella Lucchini, Devy Widjaja, Carolina Varon, Katrien Jansen, Sabine Van Huffel

2013

Abstract

Aim: Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is determined by the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and a low value of this parameter is related to neurological pathologies and infants mortality. This study aims to assess the utility and the advantages of HRV analysis by means of phase-rectified signal averaging (PRSA), a technique that obtains curves that are useful to determine the development of the ANS in preterm infants, with less obtrusive monitoring compared to electroencephalography. Methods: For a preliminary study, 24-hour ECGs were taken in NICU at the University Hospital in Leuven, from 12 babies: 4 were term, 4 were born preterm but reached a term postmenstrual age, and 4 were preterm. Heart rate tracks of segments of 27 minutes were extracted and analyzed with the PRSA technique. The curves obtained were quantified by the slope and by an acceleration/deceleration related parameter (AC/DC). Two independent analyses on acceleration and deceleration were carried out to visualize the effects of the sympathetic and parasympathetic system separately. Moreover, the immediate response and the response after 5 seconds were taken into account. Results and Conclusion: All the results were compared and validated with traditional HRV parameters. The results of slope and AD/DC in both types of analysis are promising in providing a simple parameter to assess neurological development deficiency in order to allow faster and preventive intervention. Further studies are needed in a larger population.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Lucchini M., Widjaja D., Varon C., Jansen K. and Van Huffel S. (2013). Phase-Rectified Signal Averaging to Evaluate ANS Development in Premature Infants . In Proceedings of the International Conference on Bio-inspired Systems and Signal Processing - Volume 1: BIOSIGNALS, (BIOSTEC 2013) ISBN 978-989-8565-36-5, pages 203-208. DOI: 10.5220/0004240702030208

in Bibtex Style

@conference{biosignals13,
author={Maristella Lucchini and Devy Widjaja and Carolina Varon and Katrien Jansen and Sabine Van Huffel},
title={Phase-Rectified Signal Averaging to Evaluate ANS Development in Premature Infants},
booktitle={Proceedings of the International Conference on Bio-inspired Systems and Signal Processing - Volume 1: BIOSIGNALS, (BIOSTEC 2013)},
year={2013},
pages={203-208},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0004240702030208},
isbn={978-989-8565-36-5},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the International Conference on Bio-inspired Systems and Signal Processing - Volume 1: BIOSIGNALS, (BIOSTEC 2013)
TI - Phase-Rectified Signal Averaging to Evaluate ANS Development in Premature Infants
SN - 978-989-8565-36-5
AU - Lucchini M.
AU - Widjaja D.
AU - Varon C.
AU - Jansen K.
AU - Van Huffel S.
PY - 2013
SP - 203
EP - 208
DO - 10.5220/0004240702030208