Objectification of Traditional Korean Medicine Diagnosis Using Heart Rate Variability: A Scoping Review of Current Status

This scoping review aimed to examine the current status of research utilizing heart rate variability (HRV) for diagnosis in Korean Medicine (KM) and traditional East Asian medicine, and to explore its potential for objectifying KM diagnostic methods. A systematic search was conducted in Medline and Embase databases. Studies published in English that used HRV for diagnostic purposes in KM or traditional East Asian medicine were included. Data extraction and analysis were performed according to predefined criteria. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The research designs were categorized into five types: TEAM Pattern and Symptom Analysis, Comparative Analysis, Diagnostic Tool Development, HRV Pattern Development for Specific Conditions, and Physiological Indicator Correlation Analysis. The studies revealed significant relationships between HRV parameters and various concepts in traditional East Asian medicine, including constitution types, symptoms, and pattern identifications. Several studies demonstrated the potential of HRV in objectifying and modernizing traditional diagnostic methods. This review suggests that HRV analysis has significant potential as a tool for objectifying KM diagnosis. It can provide a bridge between traditional medical theories and modern physiological measurements. Further research is needed to standardize HRV measurement protocols in KM and to develop more robust diagnostic tools based on HRV analysis.