Heart rate variability (HRV) of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) during the post-insult sub-acute period.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate heart rate variability (HRV) of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).


METHODS
By a prospective study, the HRV was assessed in 20 patients with TBI during the sub-acute period post-injury (the first test was performed at a mean time post-insult of 38 days) and a matched control. The patients were examined twice, 1 month apart. The assessment included HRV (both in time and frequency domains), GCS, length of coma, brain CT, FIM and FAM.


RESULTS
A significant difference was found between patients and controls concerning HRV total power, i.e. frequencies between 0.01-0.6 Hz (high frequency p = 0.003, low frequency p = 0.013, total power p = 0.034) and for standard deviation of RR interval p = 0.011. HRV changes were related more to the timing of the evaluation than to the severity of the brain damage.


CONCLUSIONS
HRV differed of patients with TBI and in the control group. Tendency to HRV normalization changes was detected during the first 3 months after the injury, which suggests recovery of the autonomic nervous system.
Keren
O
O
Department of Brain Injury Rehabilitation, Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital, Ra'anana, Israel. ofkeren@internet-zahav.net
Yupatov
S
S
Radai
M M
MM
Elad-Yarum
R
R
Faraggi
D
D
Abboud
S
S
Ring
H
H
Groswasser
Z
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies