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Validity of Pulse Express PRO in measurement of heart rate variability

Validität der Pulse Express PRO bei der Messung der Herzfrequenzvariabilität

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Abstract

This study aimed to examine the validity of Pulse Express PRO, a free mobile application for measurement of heart rate variability (HRV). Thirty healthy male volunteers underwent simultaneous 5‑min seated HRV recording from lead II electrocardiogram (ECG) and Pulse Express PRO (PE PRO). The raw R‑R data after 5‑min recording (PE PROraw) and HRV values displayed on smartphone PE PRO screen (PE PROdisplay) were examined using the ECG data as criterion. HRV measures that were evaluated included the standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN), root mean square of the successive differences in R‑R intervals (RMSSD), normalized low frequency of power spectrum (LFnu), normalized high frequency of power spectrum (HFnu), and LF/HF ratio. Concurrent criterion validity was established from the typical error of estimate (TEE) of linear regression and Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r). Results revealed that HRV values (SDNN: TEE = 0.24, r = 1.00; RMSSD: TEE = 0.92, r = 1.00; LFnu: TEE = 0.75, r = 1.00, HFnu: TEE = 0.75, r = 1.00; LF/HF: TEE = 0.08, r = 1.00) in PE PROraw posted acceptable validity. On the other hand, only RMSSD (TEE = 1.05, r = 1.00) in PE PROdisplay was a valid HRV index. Thus, PE PRO can serve as an alternative tool for assessment of autonomic modulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Newnham, TAS, 7248, Australia

    Jeffrey Cayaban Pagaduan PhD(cand)

  2. Department of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan

    Yung-Sheng Chen PhD

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  1. Jeffrey Cayaban Pagaduan PhD(cand)
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  2. Yung-Sheng Chen PhD
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Correspondence to Jeffrey Cayaban Pagaduan PhD(cand).

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J.C. Pagaduan and Y.‑S. Chen declare that they have no competing interests.

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants or on human tissue were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1975 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This research was also reviewed and approved by University of Taipei Ethics Committee (UT-IRB-2019-005). Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Pagaduan, J.C., Chen, YS. Validity of Pulse Express PRO in measurement of heart rate variability. Ger J Exerc Sport Res 51, 156–159 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-021-00708-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-021-00708-8

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