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Physiological basis of fractal complexity properties of heart rate variability in man
Author(s) -
Francis Darrel P.,
Willson Keith,
Georgiadou Panagiota,
Wensel Roland,
Davies L. Ceri,
Coats Andrew,
Piepoli Massimo
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2001.013389
Subject(s) - very low frequency , spectral analysis , mathematics , detrended fluctuation analysis , spectral density , statistics , physics , statistical physics , quantum mechanics , spectroscopy , geometry , astronomy , scaling
The diagnostic and prognostic power of the fractal complexity measure ‘α’ of detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) has remained mysterious because there has been no explanation of its meaning, particularly in relation to spectral analysis. First, we present a mathematical analysis of the meaning of α, in weighted power‐spectral terms. Second, we test this hypothesis and observe correlations between DFA‐based and weighted spectral methods of 0.97 ( P < 0.0001) for α 1 and 0.98 ( P < 0.0001) for α 2 . Third, we predict mathematically that even in conventional (unweighted) spectral analysis there should be approximate counterparts to DFA, namely that α 1 and α 2 behave broadly in proportion to the conventional (unweighted) ratios LF/(HF + LF) and VLF/(LF + VLF), respectively, where HF is high frequency, LF is low frequency and VLF is very low frequency. Fourth, we test this hypothesis by physiologically manipulating spectral ratios in healthy volunteers in two ways. The effect of 0.1 Hz controlled breathing on LF/(HF + LF) correlates markedly with the effect on α 1 ( r = 0.73, P = 0.01); the effect on VLF/(LF + VLF) correlates markedly with that on α 2 ( r = 0.76, P < 0.01). Likewise, with voluntary periodic breathing the reduction in α 2 correlates strongly with that in VLF/(LF + VLF) ( r = 0.88, P < 0.001); effects on α 1 and LF/(HF + LF) again clearly correlate ( r = 0.73, P = 0.01). Finally, we examine published literature to identify previously undiscussed evidence of the relationship between α 1 and LF/(HF + LF). We conclude that the α 1 and α 2 indices are simply frequency‐weighted versions of the spectral ratios LF/(HF + LF) and VLF/(LF + VLF), respectively, multiplied by two (giving a range of 0‐2). We can now understand fractal manifestations of physiological abnormalities: depressed baroreflex sensitivity → low LF/HF → low LF/(HF + LF) → low α 1 , while periodic breathing → high VLF/LF → high VLF/(LF + VLF) → high α 2 . Prognostic associations of α are no longer mysterious.