Investigates heart rate variability differences in patients with periodic limb movements during sleep, suggesting new insights into cardiovascular health.
Key Points
To investigate how periodic limb movements during sleep affect heart rate variability, both linearly and non-linearly.
Analyzed 8082 polysomnographic recordings, identifying 21 patients with PLMS and 28 matched controls.
Evaluated linear and non-linear heart rate variability indices over whole-night and stage N2 sleep.
Assessed periodic limb movement indices and arousal-related parameters.
Patients with PLMS had higher SDNN and RMSSD and lower ApEn and SampEn compared to controls.
During stage N2, PLMS patients exhibited increased SDNN, SD2, and decreased ApEn.
Significant differences in HRV parameters were particularly evident during stage N2 compared to whole-night measurements.