The effectiveness of time domain and nonlinear heart rate variability metrics in ultra-short time series

Ultra short-term (UST) heart rate variability (HRV) has been used to establish normative HRV values. This study aims to investigate whether HRV metrics can capture changes in HRV from external stimuli, and whether these metrics remain effective under various recording length. Participants completed varying stimulating activities including viewing images, arithmetic tasks, and memory recall of viewed images. SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, SD2, SD1/SD2, and DFA were extracted from the data. Comparing arithmetic calculation and the first minute of memory recall, SDNN, pNN50, SD2, and SD1/SD2 had significant HRV differences; this suggests that these metrics can distinguish the inherently different stimuli participants were exposed to. However, comparing first minute of viewing with that of the second, SDNN, pNN50, and SD2, presented some significant HRV differences during two inherently similar stimuli. Comparing the first 60-120 s during viewing, SDNN, pNN50, and SD2 also presented significant differences. Our results suggest that SDNN, pNN50, and SD2 may not be robust in evaluating UST HRVs in replacement of the standard short-term HRV. It may be beneficial to analyze multiple HRV metrics, particularly SD1/SD2, to achieve a more holistic understanding of the underlying physiology.