Does heart rate variability power spectral analysis predict outcomes in children with acute traumatic brain injury?
HRV power spectral analysis, specifically the LF/HF ratio, may be a useful prognostic tool in children with acute traumatic brain injury.
Our findings suggest that an ICP of >30 mm Hg or a CPP of <40 mm Hg may be associated with marked autonomic dysfunction and poor outcome. We speculate that HRV power spectral analysis may be a useful adjunct in determining the severity of neurologic insult and the prognosis for recovery in children. The LF/HF ratio may be helpful not only in identifying those patients who will progress to brain death but also in predicting which patients will have favorable outcomes.
Biswas et al. (Fri,) studied this question.