Increases in Heart Rate Variability Signal Improved Outcomes in Rapid Response Team Consultations: A Cohort Study

Background. Reduced heart rate variability (HRV) indicates dominance of the sympathetic system and a state of “physiologic stress.” We postulated that, in patients with critical illness, increases in HRV might signal successful resuscitation and improved prognosis. Methods. We carried out a prospective observational study of HRV on all patients referred to the rapid response team (RRT) and correlated with serial vital signs, lactate clearance, ICU admission, and mortality. Results. Ninety-one patients were studied. Significantly higher HRV was observed in patients who achieved physiological stability and did not need ICU admission: ASDNN 19 versus 34.5, p=0.032 ; rMSSD 13.5 versus 25, p=0.046 ; mean VLF 9.4 versus 17, p=0.021 ; mean LF 5.8 versus 12.4, p=0.018 ; and mean HF 4.7 versus 10.5, p=0.017 . ROC curves confirmed the change in very low frequencies at 2 hours as a strong predictor for ICU admission with an AUC of 0.772 (95% CI 0.633, 0.911, p=0.001 ) and a cutoff value of −0.65 associated with a sensitivity of 78.6% and a specificity of 61%. Conclusions. Reduced HRV, specifically VLF, appears closely related to greater severity of critical illness, identifies unsuccessful resuscitation, and can be used to identify consultations that need early ICU admission.