Background: In recent years the WTMM (wavelet transform modulus maxima) and MDFA (multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis) methods have become widely used techniques for the determination of nonlinear, multifractal heart rate (HR) dynamics. The purpose of our study was to compare multifractal parameters of heart rate calculated using both methods in a group of 90 patients with reduced left ventricular systolic function (rlvs group) and in a group of 39 healthy persons (nsr group).
Methods: For each subject from the rlvs group (LVEF < or =40%) and the nsr group, a 24-hour ECG Holter monitoring was performed.
The stochastic versus deterministic solution of the Seidel-Herzel model describing the baroreceptor control loop (which regulates the short-time heart rate) are compared with the aim of exploring the heart rate variability. The deterministic model solutions are known to bifurcate from the stable to sustained oscillatory solutions if time delays in transfer of signals by sympathetic nervous system to the heart and vasculature are changed. Oscillations in the heart rate and blood pressure are physiologically crucial since they are recognized as Mayer waves.
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