[Heart rate variability analysis: a new approach in clinical research methodology for neonatal sepsis]

The knowledge on neonatal sepsis has increase significantly, but a clinical or biochemical marker is not available for an early and appropriate diagnosis. This fact results of an inadequate analysis which might be missing important quantum of biological information. A new method of nonlinear analysis have been proposed to investigate time series of physiological data, particularly heart rate variability analysis, that apparently would detect abnormal changes which precedes clinical or biochemical signs of infection by as much as 12-24 hours.