Differential diagnostic value of heart rate variability analysis in children with somatoform autonomic dysfunction and virus myocarditis

    SONG Anª²Qi, NIU Xiaoª²Lin, CHEN Xu£¬DU Ying, GUO Runª²Mei

    Department of Cardiology, Second Hospital, Xi¡¯an Jiaotong University, Xi¡¯an 710004, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the differential diagnostic value of heart rate variability (HRV) in children with somatoform autonomic dysfunction and virus myocarditis. METHODS: Twentyª²fourª²hour HRV was examined in 49 children with somatoform autonomic dysfunction, 47 children with virus myocarditis and 40 healthy children. The HRV changes in awakeª²time and sleepingª²time were observed. RESULTS: HRV abnormality was found in children with somatoform autonomic dysfunction and those with virus myocarditis. In the former group, HRV increased, with total power (TP) [(4009¡À1005) vs (3121¡À569) ms2/Hz] (P<0.017 vs control) and high frequency (HF) [(831¡À371) vs (667¡À16) ms2/Hz] (P<0.017 vs control). The difference between the sleeping and awake time increased significantly, with HF [(497¡À210) vs (215¡À253) ms2/Hz] (P<0.017) and pNN50 (27¡À16)% vs (14¡À17)% (P<0.017). In the latter group, HRV decreased continuously, with TP [(2647¡À1328) vs (3121¡À569) ms2/Hz] (P<0.017) and HF [(305¡À199) vs (667¡À16) ms2/Hz] (P<0.017). The difference between sleeping and awake time decreased significantly, with HF [(7¡À42) vs (215¡À253) ms2/Hz] (P<0.017) and pNN50 (1¡À6)% vs (14¡À17)% (P<0.017). CONCLUSION: Different HRV changes occur in children with somatoform autonomic dysfunction and those with myocarditis, which are of significance in the differentiation of the two diseases. ......