Abstract

WAJNSZTEJN, Rubens et al. Higuchi fractal dimension applied to RR intervals in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. J. Hum. Growth Dev. [online]. 2016, vol.26, n.2, pp. 147-153. ISSN 0104-1282.  http://dx.doi.org/10.7322/jhgd.119256.

BACKGROUND: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is categorized by a lowered attention span, recklessness, and hyperactivity. Autonomic nervous system inequality has previously been studied using the same data by chaotic global techniques. We aim to compare the autonomic function of children with ADHD and controls by analyzing heart rate variability (HRV) METHODS: 28 children with ADHD (22 boys, mean age 10.0 years ± 1.9 years) and 28 controls (15 boys, mean age 9.9 years ± 1.8 years) rested in supine position with spontaneous breathing for 20 minutes. Heart rate was recorded beat by beat. HRV analysis was performed by Higuchi Fractal Dimension technique. RESULTS: ADHD promoted an increase in the Higuchi Fractal Dimension. The optimum value of K_max was 10. CONCLUSION: ADHD significantly altered cardiac autonomic modulation as measured by the Higuchi fractal dimension of HRV. It can therefore be stated that ADHD has increased the complexity of the HRV signal through cardiac autonomic modulation.

Keywords : attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; children; fractal physiology; heart rate variability; higuchi fractal dimension.

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