Efficient solution for frequency band decomposition problem using wavelet packet in HRV

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a very significant noninvasive tool for assessment of sympathovagal balance (SB) that reflects variation of parasympathetic and sympathetic activities in autonomic nervous system (ANS). Low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) power ratio provides information about these activities. Because of nonstationary characteristic of HRV, analyses based on wavelet transform were typically preferred in previous studies. There is an important problem that required frequency ranges for LF and HF cannot be obtained using discrete wavelet transform (DWT). Different sampling frequencies do not remove this problem. In this study, a solution based on wavelet packet (WP) is presented for removing this problem. In addition, effect of WP on SB values is investigated. Method was applied to spontaneous ventricular tachyarrhythmia database and variation of energy values and LF/HF energy ratios were compared for DWT and WP. WP provides absolutely excellent approximation to required frequency bands and exposes different and impressive SB results. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.