title: Scaling graphs of heart rate time series in athletes demonstrating the VLF, LF and HF regions.
abstract: Scaling analysis of heart rate time series has emerged as a useful tool for the assessment of autonomic cardiac control. We investigate the heart rate time series of ten athletes (five males and five females), by applying detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). High resolution ECGs are recorded under standardized resting conditions over 30 min and subsequently heart rate time series are extracted and artifacts filtered. We find three distinct regions of scale invariance, which correspond to the well-known VLF, LF and HF bands in the power spectra of heart rate variability. The scaling exponents alpha are alpha(HF): 1.15 [0.96-1.22], alpha(LF): 0.68 [0.57-0.84], alpha(VLF): 0.83[0.82-0.99], p < 10(-5)). In conclusion, DFA scaling exponents of heart rate time series should be fitted to the VLF, LF and HF ranges, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Biomedical Engineering (CBME), The University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. mbaumert@eleceng.adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baumert
authors.forename: Lars M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Brechtel
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lock
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Voss
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abbott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009716:Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*