title: Power spectrum analysis of heart rate variability for cerebral palsy patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of bowel and bladder dysfunction, hyperhidrosis, and poor cardiopulmonary endurance is higher for children with cerebral palsy than for the general population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the autonomic function for patients with cerebral palsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with cerebral palsy and 30 control subjects were enrolled in this study. Power spectrum analysis of heart rate variability was performed under standardized conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both the supine and head-up positions for test subjects, there was no significant difference for the low frequency component of heart rate variability, high frequency component of heart rate variability, or the low frequency/high frequency ratio between the study and control groups. A significantly greater low frequency component of heart rate variability, smaller high frequency component of heart rate variability, and greater low frequency/high frequency ratio while in the head-up position compared with the supine position was noted for the control group, which implies normal sympathovagal balance. A similar phenomenon was not observed for the study group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The disturbed balance of activity between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system observed in the study might result from the loss of hemispheric influence in patients with cerebral palsy; however, further investigation is clearly necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Tsui Fen
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Rai Chi
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Chung Lan
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Jan Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Tacho Jen
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Nien Tzu
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Terry B J
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016683:Supine Position