Analysis of heart rate variability as an index of noncardiac surgical stress

Abstract

Measurement of heart rate variability (HRV) is useful in assessing the function of the autonomic nervous system and in staging of clinical diseases. The purpose of this study is to assess a feasibility of HRV for evaluating surgical stress during the noncardiac perioperative period. Standard deviation of normal-to-normal RR intervals (SDNN) and HRV triangular index derived from 24-h Holter ECC were measured in 24 patients undergoing digestive surgery. Holter ECG was performed at 1 day before operation, the first day (postoperative day 1: POD1), and the 7th day (POD7) after operation. Indices of HRV were compared with factors influencing surgical stress, such as duration of the operation and amount of blood loss during the operation, and postoperative complications. The SDNN and HRV triangular index decreased significantly on POD1 and recovered on POD7 (P < 0.05). Heart rate variability indices correlated significantly to duration and blood loss of operation (both P < 0.05). In 7 patients with postoperative complications, HRV indices were statistically lower than those in patients without complications on POD1 (P < 0.05). Our results indicate that HRV may provide useful information with respect to surgical stress.

Reduction of heart rate variability after colorectal resections

“…Based on previous data from Gogenur and Ushiyama [1,13], we anticipated a relevant reduction of HRV parameters on postoperative day 1 or 2 compared to the preoperative value. Our assumption was that the period of relevant HRV changes is between days 1 and 3.…”

“…Data reporting the effect of non-cardiac surgery on HRV are limited to two studies and demonstrate a reduction of circadian regulation on day 2 [13], a significant reduction in HRV in postoperative days 1 and 7 as well as a correlation between HRV indices and duration of operation, blood loss, and complications of surgery [1]. The purpose of this paper was to examine the changes in HRV regulation in the whole perioperative course of patients undergoing major abdominal surgery and to identify the affected HRV parameters and duration of autonomic dysfunction.…”

“…Even uncomplicated major abdominal procedures trigger a postoperative systematic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) depicted in laboratory values and clinical course [1]. This leads to a deregulation of the autonomous system whereby an increased sympathetic and a decreased parasympathetic tonus is assumed.…”

Thermal spatio-temporal data for stress recognition

“…These techniques have used a range of physiological (e.g., heart activity [15,16], brain activity [17,18], galvanic skin response [19], and skin temperature [12,20]) and physical (e.g., eye gaze [11], facial information [21]) measures for stress as inputs. Physiological signal acquisition requires sensors to be in contact with a person, and this can be obtrusive [3].…”

Modeling Stress Using Thermal Facial Patterns: A Spatio-temporal Approach

“…These techniques have used a range of physiological (e.g. heart activity [10], brain activity [11], galvanic skin response [12] and skin temperature [7]) and physical (e.g. eye gaze [6], facial information [13]) measures for stress as inputs.…”