Estimating heart rate and RSA from the mattress-recorded kinetocardiogram

This article describes a method for extracting heart rate (HR) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) from the kinetocardiogram (KCG) recorded from accelerometers embedded in a mattress topper. Validation has been performed via comparison with simultaneously recorded ECG. All-night estimates of HR and RSA magnitude derived from both methods were highly correlated. KCG-derived estimates of HR were slightly lower, and those of RSA magnitude higher, than those derived from ECG. These biases are consistent with the need to constrain KCG estimation to periods free of body movement. Mattress actigraphy represents a zero-burden method of obtaining intensive longitudinal indices of cardiac status.