Determining Heart Rate Variability in Oncological Patients Using ECG Holter vs Photoplethysmography - Old vs New Method

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a simple method in determining both sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. In the oncological patients HRV can be a useful tool in determining cardiotoxicity, survival and disease progression. Electrocardiographic (ECG) Holter is the golden standard method, but is time consuming, costly and requires advanced medical training. Photoplethysmography uses the pulse wave signal (PW) as a parameter and is commonly used in determining heart rate (using smart-watches). This method is easy-to-wear, inexpensive and did not require advanced medical training. We wanted to determine that both ECG Holter and photoplethysmography can be used in determining HRV in oncological patients. Mean heart rate was similar in both groups of results, mean HR using Holter ECG was significantly corelated with mean HR using photoplethysmography. Mean RR interval using ECG Holter was correlated with mean RR interval using photoplethysmography. We investigated both time-domain and frequency-domain parameters using both methods. Only time-domain parameters were significantly corelated. The frequency domain parameters determined using both ECG Holter and photoplethysmography did not reached statistical significance. Several HRV parameters can be determined using new method - photoplethysmography. More studies on larger groups are needed in order to determine if photoplethysmography can be used in cancer patients for determining HRV.