Heart Rate Variability & Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia

Heart Rate Variability Analysis

1. From the AcqKnowledge home screen select: Open a graph file, Graph file on Disk, and click OK
   1. This will allow you to access files directly from the U: Drive
      
      
      
2. Minimize all channels except Channel 9 that corresponds to ECG signal, by clicking on the triangle icon on the left hand slide of the channel number. 
   
   
3. Autoscale waveform horizontally using the autoscale feature in the toolbar
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4. Go to Analysis → HRV and RSA → and select "Single-Epoch HRV - Spectral" from the options menu
   
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5. Customize your tachogram settings in the "Analysis- Heart Rate Variability" premenu to the following:   
   1. Minimum & Maximum BPM will be adjusted by the Acq per subject?
      
      
      
   2. The Frequency Band settings have been adjusted to their default settings following the guidelines set forth by the Euopean Heart Journal. You will not need to modify any settings unless you want to compare results with published data.
      
      
      
   3. Verify the PSD (Power Spectral Density" Options are set to Automatic
      
      
      
   4. The Options tab allows us to the control the output from the analysis routine
      1. R-R interval table: Will give you the time interval or every single R-R interval
      2. Interpolated tachogram: this is the tachogram that the analysis is being performed on
      3. Show Spectrum: Shows graph on a new window
         
         
         
   5. Click OK
   6. Notice how the "Transform Entire Wave" option has been pre-selected for you. This indicates that the analysis will run through the entire waveform
      
      
6. Acq will generate the following results for you:
   
   
   1. Copy the HRV Analysis Results to your Clipboard for further analysis & click OK
      
      
7. Acq will now display your Power Spectral Density (PSD) graph
   
   
   
8. The adjacent tab corresponds to the interpolated tachogram showing each of the R-R intervals for that particular waveform in seconds
   
   1. *Consider Adjusting waveform for further analysis
      
      
9.  Return to your original waveform by clicking on the first tab. Your HRV Analysis Results from Item 6 above will now appear on your journal below. 
   
   
   
10. The analysis may also be performed by Locating Human ECG complex bounderies in the Analysis tab

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia

1. From the AcqKnowledge home screen select: Open a graph file, Graph file on Disk, and click OK
   1. This will allow you to access files directly from the U: Drive
      
      
      
2. Minimize all channels except Channels 2 & 9 that correspond to Respiration &ECG respectively, by clicking on the triangle icon on the left hand slide of the channel number.
   
   
   
3. Autoscale waveform horizontally using the autoscale feature in the toolbar
   
   
   
4. The Analysis will identify the R-R intervalvalues in the ECG channel & create a new channel for that waveform. Then it will identify the inspiration & expiration results before conducting the RSA analysis for the Respiration channel
   
   
5. Go to Analysis → HRV and RSA → and select "RSA - Time Series " from the options menu
   
   
   
6. 
   From the Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia dialogue menu, set the following settings:
   
   1. Click OK
   2. * Consider generating logarithmic RSA for additional analysis
      
      
7. Autoscale waveform horizontally using the autoscale feature in the toolbar
   
   
   
8. 
   Acq will generate the following results:
   
   1. Inspiration and Expiration signals will be marked in Respiration channel that will help us identify the maximum R-R interval
   2. R-R interval is displayed in ms and was calculated based on our analysis
      
   3. The ECG waveform has also been completely analyzed
9. Results are also recorded on an Excel spreadsheet 
   
   
   1. Time: The beginning of a respiration cycle
   2. Min Period: Minimum R-R interval during the inspiration
   3. Max Period: Maximum R-R interval during the expiration
   4. RSA: Difference between the Max Period & Min Period expressed in milliseconds using linear scaling

HRV & RSA Analysis

1. HRV and RSA Analysis may also be conducted together.
   
2. Complete Steps 2 & 3 under Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia before proceeding to step 3
3. Go to Analysis → HRV and RSA → and select "Multi-epoch HRV & RSA - Spectral" from the options menu
   
   
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