title: Poincaré plot descriptors of heart rate variability as markers of persistent pain expression in freely moving rats.
abstract: Evaluation of pain is a critical issue in human pathologies but also in animal experimentation. In human studies there is growing evidence that cardiovascular outputs such as heart rate variability (HRV) might be of interest to detect and measure pain expression. Indeed, systems controlling cardiovascular function are closely coupled to the perception of pain. To demonstrate the interest of HRV, we have combined radiotelemetry and remote-controlled nociceptive tests in rats submitted to various situations of acute and persistent inflammatory pain. We found the Poincaré plot descriptor SD1 and pNN18 to represent robust indicators of pain, especially in the case of persistent inflammatory states. Further studies will be performed in order to understand by which mechanisms pain-related increases in HRV are produced and if these descriptors can be used for other persistent pain states.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Université de Strasbourg, Département Nociception et Douleur, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Charlet
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rodeau
authors.forename: Pierrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poisbeau
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000009:adverse effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013686:Telemetry / Q000379:methods; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014851:Wakefulness
chemical_list: D005557:Formaldehyde; D002351:Carrageenan