Duration of photoplethysmographic signals for the extraction of Pulse Rate Variability Indices

Pulse rate variability (PRV) assesses the changes in pulse through time when is extracted from pulsatile signals such as photoplethysmogram (PPG). PRV has been used a surrogate of heart (HRV), but there evidence differences between these two variables. It hypothesised that may arise physiological processes or technical aspects affect reliable extraction indices PPG signals. Moreover, are no guidelines for information signals, which hinders comparison among studies and understanding PRV. In this study, effects using with different duration time-domain, frequency-domain Poincaré plot was studied. Using simulated known content varying duration, it found can be reliably estimated short 90 s. This indicates ultra-short Although further validation real data needed, concluded acquiring shorter segments analysis, allowing more efficient acquisition processing variable. • A simulation framework proposed generation information. The minimum length analysis determined each index. to lower than usually accepted analysis.