title: Heart rate variability in children with tricyclic antidepressant intoxication.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate HRV in children requiring intensive care unit stays due to TCA poisoning between March 2009 and July 2010. In the time-domain nonspectral evaluation, the SDNN (P < 0.001), SDNNi (P < 0.05), RMSDD (P < 0.01), and pNN50 (P < 0.01) were found to be significantly lower in the TCA intoxication group. The spectral analysis of the data recorded during the first 5 minutes after intensive care unit admission showed that the values of the nLF (P < 0.05) and the LF/HF ratio (P = 0.001) were significantly higher in the TCA intoxication group, while the nHF (P = 0.001) values were significantly lower. The frequency-domain spectral analysis of the data recorded during the last 5 minutes showed a lower nHF (P = 0.001) in the TCA intoxication group than in the controls, and the LF/HF ratio was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the intoxication group. The LF/HF ratio was higher in the seven children with seizures (P < 0.001). These findings provided us with a starting point for the value of HRV analysis in determining the risk of arrhythmia and convulsion in TCA poisoning patients. HRV can be used as a noninvasive testing method in determining the treatment and prognosis of TCA poisoning patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, 26480 Eskişehir, Turkey ; Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, 26480 Eskişehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ener Cagri
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Dinleyici
authors.forename: Zubeyir
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.forename: Sabiha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Rabia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tutuncu-Toker
authors.forename: Makbule
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.forename: Zeynel Abidin
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Yargic
authors.forename: Pelin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kosger
authors.forename: Birsen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ucar