title: Correlation between symbolic dynamics analysis indexes and neurohormonal and functional parameters in heart failure patients.
abstract: Heart failure (HF) is a cardiac disease associated with prominent alterations in the autonomic control of the cardiovascular system and high neurohormonal activation levels. Useful assessment tools may be heart rate variability (HRV) analysis and/or the study of norepinephrine (NPE) level. Nevertheless, traditional techniques of HRV analysis have proved not sufficient and the second is an invasive measurement. In this work the correlation between a parameter (kurtosis-K) computed by an emerging nonlinear technique, the symbolic dynamics analysis, and neurohormonal and functional parameters has been investigated. Results obtained show an interesting relationship between K and both ejection fraction and NPE. In particular, higher K values are associated to increasing NPE levels This finding could be useful for highlighting changes in HF patients otherwise detectable only with invasive examinations.
authors.affiliation: DIETI, University of Naples, "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cesarelli
authors.affiliation: DIETI, University of Naples, "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Dpt, S. Maugeri Foundation, Montescano, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maestri
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Dpt, S. Maugeri Foundation, Montescano, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: La Rovere
authors.affiliation: DIETI, University of Naples, "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bifulco
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Dpt, S. Maugeri Foundation, Telese Terme, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: D'Addio
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D008959:Models, Neurological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000097:blood; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D009638:Norepinephrine