title: Heart Rate Variability in Porcine Progressive Peritonitis-Induced Sepsis.
abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that heart rate variability (HRV) alterations could serve as an indicator of sepsis progression and outcome, however, the relationships of HRV and major pathophysiological processes of sepsis remain unclear. Therefore, in this experimental study HRV was investigated in a clinically relevant long-term porcine model of severe sepsis/septic shock. HRV was analyzed by several methods and the parameters were correlated with pathophysiological processes of sepsis. In 16 anesthetized, mechanically ventilated, and instrumented domestic pigs of either gender, sepsis was induced by fecal peritonitis. Experimental subjects were screened up to the refractory shock development or death. ECG was continuously recorded throughout the experiment, afterwards RR intervals were detected and HRV parameters computed automatically using custom made measurement and analysis MATLAB routines. In all septic animals, progressive hyperdynamic septic shock developed. The statistical measures of HRV, geometrical measures of HRV and Poincaré plot analysis revealed a pronounced reduction of HRV that developed quickly upon the onset of sepsis and was maintained throughout the experiment. The frequency domain analysis demonstrated a decrease in the high frequency component and increase in the low frequency component together with an increase of the low/high frequency component ratio. The reduction of HRV parameters preceded sepsis-associated hemodynamic changes including heart rate increase or shock progression. In a clinically relevant porcine model of peritonitis-induced progressive septic shock, reduction of HRV parameters heralded sepsis development. HRV reduction was associated with a pronounced parasympathetic inhibition and a shift of sympathovagal balance. Early reduction of HRV may serve as a non-invasive and sensitive marker of systemic inflammatory syndrome, thereby widening the therapeutic window for early interventions.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Biomedical Center, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Dagmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jarkovska
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Biomedical Center, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic; First Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valesova
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Biomedical Center, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic; First Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chvojka
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Biomedical Center, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic; Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benes
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Biomedical Center, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jitka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sviglerova
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Biomedical Center, Charles University in Prague Pilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Blanka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Florova
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Biomedical Center, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nalos
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Biomedical Center, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic; First Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matejovic
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Biomedical Center, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in PraguePilsen, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stengl
keywords: electrocardiography; experimental model; heart rate variability; pig; sepsis; septic shock