Delirium in patients with hip fracture is associated with increased heart rate variability.

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) is a method to assess the autonomic nervous system and reflects possibly central brain states. HRV has previously not been examined in patients with hip fracture and delirium.

Aims: To explore HRV parameters in hip fracture patients with and without delirium.

Methods: Patients admitted to Oslo University Hospital with hip fracture and sinus rhythm in electrocardiogram (ECG) were included. Delirium was diagnosed using the confusion assessment method. HRV was assessed preoperatively after a relaxing period of five minutes, by measuring an ECG signal over 5 min. Parameters in time domain (the standard deviation of the QRS distances-SDNN) and frequency domain (total power (TP), low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and LF/HF ratio) were calculated.

Results: Seventy-five patients were included in the study, and 21 of them had subsyndromal delirium and were excluded from the analysis. Fifty-four patients with a mean age of 83.5 years (SD 8.6, 78% females) were included. Twenty-six patients (48%) had preoperative delirium, 11 (20%) developed delirium postoperatively, whereas 17 (31%) never developed delirium. SDNN, TP and HF values were significantly higher in patients with delirium compared to patients without delirium, and LF and LF/HF were lower. Patients developing postoperative delirium had decreased LF and increased HF before symptom onset.

Discussion: Increased SDNN, TP and HF and decreased LF values might reflect an abnormal stress response in delirium.

Conclusion: HRV measurements in patients with hip fractures provide additional information beyond heart rate and might be used to identify relevant pathophysiological factors in delirium.