Differences in pulse rate variability with measurement site

• Published in: Journal of physiological anthropology Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 4 - 6
• Main Authors: Yuda, Emi, Yamamoto, Kento, Yoshida, Yutaka, Hayano, Junichiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 21.02.2020; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Accuracy; Adult; EKG; Electrocardiogram; Electrocardiography; Electrocardiography - methods; Female; Fixed rates; Forearm - blood supply; Heart rate; Heart Rate - physiology; Heart rate variability; Humans; Male; Measurement; Methodology; Posture; Posture - physiology; Power (Philosophy); Pulse rate variability; Pulse wave; Pulse Wave Analysis - methods; Respiration; Sensors; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Spectrum analysis; Time; Time series; Variation; Ventricle; Wearable Electronic Devices; Wearable sensor; Wrist - blood supply; Young Adult; Pulse rate variability; Pulse wave; Wearable sensor; Heart rate variability; Electrocardiogram
• ISSN: 1880-6805; 1880-6791; 1880-6805
• DOI: 10.1186/s40101-020-0214-1

Recently, attempts have been made to use the pulse rate variability (PRV) as a surrogate for heart rate variability (HRV). PRV, however, may be caused by the fluctuations of left ventricular pre-ejection period and pulse transit time besides HRV. We examined whether PRV differs not only from HRV but also depending on the measurement site. In five healthy subjects, pulse waves were measured simultaneously on both wrists and both forearms together with single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in the supine and sitting positions. Although average pulse interval showed no significant difference from average R-R interval in either positions, PRV showed greater power for the low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) components and lower LF/HF than HRV. The deviations of PRV from HRV in the supine and sitting positions were 13.2% and 7.9% for LF power, 24.5% and 18.3% for HF power, and - 15.0% and - 30.2% for LF/HF, respectively. While the average pulse interval showed 0.8% and 0.5% inter-site variations among the four sites in the supine and sitting positions, respectively, the inter-site variations in PRV were 4.0% and 3.6% for LF power, 3.8% and 4.7% for HF power, and 18.0% and 17.5% for LF/HF, respectively. These suggest that PRV shows not only systemic differences from HRV but also considerable inter-site variations.