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Background The serious health consequence that comes from disrupted and poor sleep quality is an increased risk for cardiac diseases and diabetes. The goal was to investigate the association of insulin resistance with sleep complains in ten years follow-up. Methods A randomized epidemiological follow up study with 835 subjects: 300 (35.9%) men and 535 (64.1%) women was performed in 2003 and in 2013. The Basic Nordic Sleep Questionnaire was used to assess the frequency of sleep complaints in the first and the follow up survey. Insulin resistance was evaluated by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The contingent was divided into 2 groups: insulin resistance group (HOMA-IR> 2.7) 33% and No- insulin resistance group (HOMA-IR ≤2.7) 67%. Results A statistically significantly increased number of persons with diabetes mellitus and high body mass index was seen in both groups after 10-year period; however, in insulin resistance group an increase was more expressed. A statistically significant change of sleep complains after 10-year period was seen in insulin resistance group; while in no-insulin resistance group there were no significant modifications. Individuals with insulin resistance were more likely to complain of difficulty falling asleep (from 11.2% to 17.8%, p = 0.031) and early wake up in the morning (from 12.6% to 24.5%, p = 0.003) after 10-year period. Daytime sleepiness was also more frequently observed among persons with insulin resistance (from 9.0% to 14.7, p = 0.037). They were more likely to use sleeping pills (from 4.0% to 8.3%, p = 0.034) and, not surprisingly, were more likely to use alcohol to improve sleep (from 1.1% to 4.4%, p = 0.012). Conclusions A statistically significant increase in body mass index and diabetes as well as difficulty to fall asleep, early waking up in the morning, severe drowsiness in the morning and daytime sleepiness was found in ten years follow-up in insulin resistance group. Key messages A statistically significant increase of sleep complains after ten years follow-up was seen in insulin resistance group. Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in parallel with disturbed sleep may lead to the development of diabetes in follow-up.

Background Insulin resistance is the primary cause of metabolic syndrome, which in turn reflects a real variety of risk factors, closely linked to each other. Thus, we aimed to investigate health-related quality of life scores according to the presence of insulin resistance among citizens of Palanga in Lithuania, in the survey in 2003 and 2013. Methods A randomized epidemiological study was performed out for 835 subjects. All study participants were evaluated according to for socio-demographic characteristics, behavioral factors, health-related quality of life and self-perceived health using questionnaires. Fasting blood samples were draw from all participants for biochemical tests for the glucose and insulin. Insulin resistance was evaluated by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Results All study participants were stratified into groups without and with insulin resistance in the survey in 2003 and 2013 years follow up. Participants with insulin resistance were more likely to be male, with higher body mass index, had lower than higher education, and with moderate self-related health. In subjects with insulin resistance, after adjusting with various factors, logistic regression analysis showed, that within 10 years, a significantly higher chance of deteriorating health-related quality of life in the areas of: physical functioning (odss ratio [OR] = 1.15, p < 0.001), emotional role limitations (OR = 1.07, p = 0.034), social functioning (OR = 1.26, p = 0.004), pain (OR = 1.09, p = 0.005) and general health perception (OR = 1.07, p = 0.022). Conclusions People with insulin resistance are significantly more likely to have a deterioration in their health-related quality of life in the areas of physical functioning, emotional role limitations, social functioning, pain and general health perception after 10 years period. Key messages Over the course of ten years, significant changes were observed in domains of physical functioning, social functioning and general health perception in subjects with insulin resistance. Results of this study provide evidence that individuals with insulin resistance have a significantly higher chance of deteriorating health-related quality of life within 10 years.

Aims Emerging studies suggest an association exists between coronary artery disease (CAD) and the development of neurodegenerative diseases, with CAD acting as a precursor. Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between baseline measures of cognitive functioning and long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals with CAD with specification to Type D personality traits and sex. Methods and results This prospective observational cohort study consisted of 864 participants (mean age 58 SD = 9 years, 74.0% men) with CAD after acute coronary syndrome. Baseline characteristics included comprehensive cognitive testing, measures of sociodemographic and clinical factors, and psychological assessment scales, such as Type D personality scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire assessed participants’ HRQoL, conducted through phone interviews at baseline, every 6 months for up to 2 years, and after 5 years. Cognitive functioning correlated with HRQoL at all time intervals over the 5-year follow-up. Regarding sex and Type D personality, significant differences emerged in associations between impaired cognitive functioning at baseline and HRQoL measured over the period of 5 years. Men participants with characteristics of Type D personality were especially vulnerable to impaired cognitive functioning affecting the 5-year quality of life. Conclusion Men with CAD who obtained scores indicating characteristics of Type D personality were significantly more likely to have lower baseline cognitive functions and long-term HRQoL outcomes. This information could inform healthcare practitioners to screen for personality characteristics and closely follow-up those at a greater risk.

Background: Individuals with insulin resistance (IR) have a high risk of diabetes or metabolic syndrome, and they are more likely to have depression. Furthermore, IR by itself is a major cardiovascular risk factor in healthy persons. Thus, we aimed to investigate IR in association with thyroid function, psychoemotional state, and cardiovascular risk factors among 45–84-year-old citizens of Palanga. Methods: A randomized epidemiological study was performed with 850 subjects. All participants were evaluated for sociodemographic, clinical, and cardiovascular risk factors and biochemical analysis. IR was evaluated by the homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR). Results: All study participants were stratified into groups without IR (HOMA-IR ≤ 2.7) and with IR (HOMA-IR &gt, 2.7). The analysis of parameters between the two study groups showed some statistically significant relationships between IR and cardiovascular risk factors. The predictable accuracy was presented using receiver performance characteristic curves for HOMA-IR scores in women and men separately. If the HOMA-IR score is higher than 3.45, individuals are significantly more likely to have type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Conclusions: An increase of fasting glucose and more frequent incidence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases in subjects with IR are associated with the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors. There was no significant association between thyroid function and HOMA-IR. HOMA-IR cut-offs could predict the presence of T2DM.

Aim of the study was to evaluate the associations among poor sleep, anxiety and depression in relation to age and year of studying among the students. Methods. The study sample consisted of 400 Klaipeda State University of Applied Sciences students (96.8% female) and 393 The Lithuanian Maritime Academy students (78.9% male), from 18 to 46 years of age. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used for subjective sleep quality evaluation. Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale was used to identify depression and anxiety. PSQI score ≤ 5 was evaluated as good sleep quality; > 5 – poor sleep. HAD score from 0 to 7 was evaluated as no depression or anxiety, score >7 indicated depression and/or anxiety. Additional questions about respondents’ age, gender, study programme and year of the studying were used. The Chi-square test or Fisher exact tests were used to estimate association between categorical variables. Student’s t test was used to compare means and z criteria was used to test the difference in two population proportions. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the factors influencing poor sleep. Results. Health sciences students, as compared to maritime students, had higher prevalence of poor sleep (69.8% vs 45.0%) and anxiety (55.5% vs 41.7%). Depression score was higher among the students with poor sleep, as compared to good sleep, respectively 4.38 vs 3.20 (20 yrs), 5.16 vs 3.29 (21 yrs), 5.38 vs 3.22 (≥ 22 yrs). Anxiety score was higher among the students with poor sleep, as compared to good sleep, respectively 7.89 vs 6.11 (18-19 yrs), 8.73 vs 6.12 (20 yrs), 10.40 vs 6.51 (21 yrs), 10.58 vs 6.40 (≥ 22 yrs). The risk of poor sleep was significantly decreased by the studying marine sciences (OR=0.365) and increased by anxiety (OR=1.172), p

Evidence on the association between insomnia symptoms and mortality is limited and inconsistent. This study examined the association between insomnia symptoms and mortality in cohorts from three countries to show common and unique patterns. The Finnish cohort comprised 6605 employees of the City of Helsinki, aged 40-60 years at baseline in 2000-2002. The Norwegian cohort included 6236 participants from Western Norway, aged 40-45 years at baseline in 1997-1999. The Lithuanian cohort comprised 1602 participants from the City of Palanga, aged 35-74 years at baseline in 2003. Mortality data were derived from the Statistics Finland and Norwegian Cause of Death Registry until the end of 2012, and from the Lithuanian Regional Mortality Register until the end of 2013. Insomnia symptoms comprised difficulties initiating sleep, nocturnal awakenings, and waking up too early. Covariates were age, marital status, education, smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, depression, shift work, sleep duration, and self-rated health. Cox regression analysis was used. Frequent difficulties initiating sleep were associated with all-cause mortality among men after full adjustments in the Finnish (hazard ratio 2.51; 95% confidence interval 1.07-5.88) and Norwegian (hazard ratio 3.42; 95% confidence interval 1.03-11.35) cohorts. Among women and in Lithuania, insomnia symptoms were not statistically significantly associated with all-cause mortality after adjustments. In conclusion, difficulties initiating sleep were associated with mortality among Norwegian and Finnish men. Variation and heterogeneity in the association between insomnia symptoms and mortality highlights that further research needs to distinguish between men and women, specific symptoms and national contexts, and focus on more chronic insomnia.

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with increased motor vehicle accident risk, and improved detection of patients at risk is of importance. The present study addresses potential risk factors in the European Sleep Apnea Database and includes patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea [n = 8476, age 51.5 (12.5) years, body mass index 31.0 (6.6) kg m(-2) , 82.4% driver's licence holders]. Driving distance (km year(-1) ), driver's licence type, sleep apnea severity, sleepiness and comorbidities were assessed. Previously validated risk factors for accident history: Epworth Sleepiness Scale ≥16; habitual sleep time ≤5 h; use of hypnotics; and driving ≥15 000 km year(-1) were analysed across European regions. At least one risk factor was identified in male and female drivers, 68.75 and 51.3%, respectively. The occurrence of the risk factors was similar across Europe, with only a lower rate in the eastern region (P = 0.001). The mean number of risk factors increased across classes of sleep apnea severity. Frequent driving was prevalent [14.0 (interquartile range 8.0-20.0) × 10(3) km year(-1) ] and 32.7% of drivers had severe obstructive sleep apnea [apnea-hypopnea index 50.3 (38.8-66.0) n h(-1) ]. Obesity, shorter sleep time and younger age were associated with increased traffic exposure (P ≤ 0.03). In conclusion, the risk factors associated with accident history were common among European patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnea, but varied between geographical regions. There was a weak covariation between occurrence of risk factors and clinically determined apnea severity but frequent driving, a strong risk factor for accidents, was over-represented. Systematic evaluation of accident-related risk factors is important to detect sleep apnea patients at risk for motor vehicle accidents.

This article provides an overview of a relation between infantmortality and respiratory distress during sleep, pathogenesis ofthese disorders, diagnostics and treatment aspects. It shows thedifferences between infant and adult sleep structure. New-born’ssleep 16 to 18 hours per day, the duration of sleep distributesevenly during the day and night time. Opposite to adults, in infantsthe REM sleep last longest in the structure of sleep, there is anactivation of the central and autonomic nervous system during thissleep, this leads to functional maturation of the baby.Sleep related respiratory disorders and their provocativefactors were reviewed. The REM sleep has an important role in theoccurrence of sleep apnea in infancy, a muscle atony is observedduring this stage of sleep, hypoventilation occurs often, this leadsto reduced oxygenation of the blood and increased carbon dioxideconcentration in the blood. Reduced pharyngeal muscle tone maycause a pulmonary ventilation depression during this stage of sleep.Predominant REM sleep, in the structure of sleep, increases the riskof apnea in infants up to 6-month old. Prolonged apnea may causelife threatening hypoxemia and reflex bradycardia.Recommendations for the sleep apnea in infancy preventionand treatment are presented. Front-page recommendations aresleeping position and sleeping environment. In cases of frequentepisodes of apnea, which can be accompanied by respiratoryfailure, subject to continuous positive airway pressure ventilationis recommended. The possible treatment with surfactant therapyof respiratory disorders, including sleep-related ones, of preterminfants, is presented. Early diagnostics and treatment of sleepapnea will increase neonatal survival and will also ensure betterdevelopment in the normal condition of oxygenation during sleep.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and degree of heart failure (HF) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). A total of 3017 patients (77.4% men and 22.6% women) were included in the study. Clinical examination and echocardiography for evaluation of HF using NYHA functional classification and sleep polysomnography were performed. The study demonstrated that SDB is more common in CHD patients with higher NYHA functional class. The prevalence of central sleep apneas against obstructive apneas was observed in patients with mild and moderate HF. The number of central apneas was strongly related to the severity of heart failure. More frequent appearance of central sleep apneas is predominantly due to instability of ventilatory control systems during sleep because of impaired cardiac function in HF patients. Sleep architecture was more disturbed in CHD patients with higher NYHA functional class. A gradual increase of stage 1 and wakefulness after sleep onset and a decrease of sleep stages 3-4 and REM sleep as well as a diminution of sleep efficiency with worsening of NYHA functional class were observed. We suggest that both SDB and disturbed sleep variables independently significantly correlate with manifestation of HF.

Apklausos tikslas buvo įvertinti miego kokybę, depresijos ir nerimo pasireiškimą, priklausomai nuo studentų lytes, amžiaus, kurso ir mokslo institucijos. Metodai: tyrimo imtis buvo sudaryta iš 400 (96,8 proc. Moterys) Klaipėdos valstybinės kolegijos Sveikatos mokslų fakulteto studentų ir 393 (78,9 proc. vyrai) Lietuvos aukštosios jūreivystės mokyklos studentų, kurių amžius buvo nuo 18 iki 46 metų. Subjektyviam miego kokybės vertinimui buvo naudotas Pitsburgo miego kokybės klausimynas (PSQI), o depresijai ir nerimui nustatyti buvo naudojamas HAD klausimynas. Studentai, kurių Pitsburgo miego kokybės indeksas buvo ≤5, buvo priskiriami gerai miegančių, o >5 – prastai miegančių grupei. HAD klausimyno reikšmės, kurių reikšmį buvo ≤7, nerodė depresijos ar nerimo pasireiškimo, o reikšmės, kurios buvo >7, rodė depresijos ar nerimo pasireiškimą. Rezultatai: beveik dvigubai daugiau sveikatos mokslų fakulteto studentų skundėsi prastu miegu (61,2 proc.) nei jūreivystės studentų (38,8 proc.), p5 – poor sleep. HAD score from 0 to 7 was evaluated as no depression or anxiety, score >7 indicated depression and/or anxiety. Results. Lithuanian Maritime Academy students had significantly lower prevalence of poor sleep, as compared to the students of the Faculty of Health Sciences, 38.8% vs 61.2%, p

Background: seafaring is an occupation with specific work-related risks, causing increased morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, the research in the area of marine students ‘sleep quality and mental health is lacking in Lithuania, as well as other European countries. The aim was to overview scientific findings, related with occupational health risks in a seafaring population and asses the frequency of poor sleep and the relations among poor sleep, anxiety and depression in the sample of maritime students. Methods and contingent. The scientific literature review, based on PubMed sources analysis, related to occupational health risks in seafaring population, was performed. Questionnaire survey was conducted in 2014 at The Lithuanian Maritime Academy, 393 (78.9 % of them males) students participated. Sleep quality was evaluated by Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. Anxiety and depression were assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. Sociodemographic questions were used. The Chi-square test r Fisher exact test was used to estimate association between categorical variables. P- Values less than 0.05 were interpreted as statistically significant. Results. Scientific literature review indicate that highly stressful and exhausting working conditions on ships can lead to depression, insomnia, various types of cancer, cardiovascular, communicable, blood-born and sexually transmitted diseases. Poor sleep was found in 45.0 % of the students. Mild depression was established in 6.9 %, moderate in 2.3 %, Severe in 0.8 % of the students. Mild anxiety was found in 19.1 %, moderate in 14.8 % and Severe in 7.9 % of the students. Depression (score ?8) was significantly more frequent among third (fourth) year students (22.2 %) with poor sleep, as compared to the students demonstrating good sleep (2.7 %). Marine engineering programme students whose sleep was poor more often had depression (22.0 %), as compared to the students whose sleep was good (5.7 %). Conclusions. Seafarers have higher hospitalization and mortality rates than age-matched peers, due to exposure to unique occupational health risk factors. Maritime students had poor sleep more than anxiety or depression. Anxiety and depression were more common among the students demonstrating poor sleep rather than good sleep. Key words: Maritime students, Sleep quality, Anxiety, Depression, Occupational health.

Auricular blood vessels can be visualized by transillumination of the auricular tissue. The optimisation and validation of the optic visualization are the main subject of this work. Since blood vessels and nerve fibers can be found along one another, the transillumination reveals locations of auricular nerves to unaided human eye. The visualization of the nerves is needed by physicians to precisely insert needles into the auricle for electrical stimulation of auricular nerves. The stimulation is applied to relieve chronic pain and normalize vital physiological parameters. Theoretical approaches are shortly considered which are related to light absorption coefficients of different auricular tissue types and coefficient changes over wavelength. The theory predicts optimal optical contrasts if green and blue colors of light are applied. An experimental validation has been carried out using a novel transillumination device, a finger thimble, among young and elderly, male and female; in total 22 volunteers. Complementary experimental approaches have confirmed theoretical reasoning and have been used to optimize the optical contrast and applied color mixture even further.

A medical-meteorological weather assessment using hybrid spatial classification of synoptic and meteorological data was done. Empirical models for assessment as well as for forecast of medical-meteorological weather type at the seaside climatic zone in Palanga were developed. It was based on the data of meteofactors (atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, temperature, oxygen density in atmosphere, cyclone fronts, etc.) as well as on the occurrence of meteotropical reactions of cardiovascular function collected during 8-year period. The empirical models allow objectively assess and forecast 3 types of medical-meteorological weather types: favourable, unfavourable and very unfavourable weather. Classification model assessed favourable weather type in 56.1%, unfavourable in 31.7% and very unfavourable in 12.2%, while forecast was of favourable weather type in 52.4%, unfavourable in 46% and very unfavourable in 1.6% of days. Developed model enables more precise weather estimation and forecast meteotropical reactions promoting development of preventive measures of cardiovascular complications for reduction of negative weather impact on health in coronary artery diseases patients.

Background: Increased rates of depression are reported in coronary artery disease (CAD). In heart disease, depression increases disability, reduces quality of life, and increases mortality. Hypothesis: The study was undertaken to examine the relationship between depression and thyroid axis function in patients with CAD. Methods: In all, 73 patients with CAD, consecutively admitted to a cardiac rehabilitation hospital, were assessed for depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS). Blood was drawnfor assessment of thyroid axis hormones and the N-amino terminal fragment of the pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP). Results: The patients with CAD with depressive symptoms had a higher prevalence of cardiac failure (p = 0.04), higher NT-pro BNP concentrations (p = 0.02), and lower free tri-iodothyronine (T3) concentrations (p = 0.04) than patients with CAD but without depressive symptoms. They also showed a strong trend (p = 0.058) toward a higher incidence of the low T3 syndrome. Higher NT-pro BNP concentrations were related to lowertotal T3 concentrations (r = -0.294, p = 0.011) and to higher reverse T3 concentrations (r = 0.353, p = 0.002). In men, higher scores of depression were related to lower total T3 concentration (r = -0.289, p = 0.034) and to higher NT-pro BNP concentration (r = 0.380, p = 0.005). Conclusion: These findings suggest that symptoms of depression in patients with CAD are associated with changes in thyroid axis function and with cardiac impairment, especially in men.

The aim of the study was to investigate depressive mood in association with sociodemographic, behavioral, self-perceived health, and coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors and sleep complaints among 35–74-year-old citizens of Palanga. Material and Methods. A representative sample of randomly selected 1602 persons, 600 men and 1002 women, was studied. Depressive mood was assessed by the WHO-5 Well-being Index. Sleep complaints, self-perceived health, and behavioral factors were evaluated by the Basic Nordic Sleep Quality questionnaire and questionnaires on self-perceived health and health behavior. Risk factors for CAD were assessed according to WHO recommendations. Results. The highest prevalence of depressive mood (34.7%) was identified in the age group of 45–54 years in the men and in the age group of 55–64 years in the women (30.0%). The highest odds ratios demonstrating a strong association between depressive mood and health behavior were established for the use of antidepressants (OR=26.0) in the men and for the use of sedatives (OR=3.09) in the women. The highest odds ratios demonstrating an association between depressive mood and self-perceived health were established for chronic pyelonephritis (OR=3.13) in the men and diabetic foot pain (OR=4.46) in the women. The highest odds ratios reflecting an association between depressive mood and sleep quality were established for the inability to work due to disturbed sleep (OR=1.93) in the men and self-perceived sleep quality (OR=1.55) in the women. Conclusions. Depressive mood, which was significantly associated with risky health behavior, poor self-perceived health, and disturbed sleep, was observed more often in the women than the men; however, significant associations between depressive mood and risk factors for CAD were not established.

Variety of methods of nonlinear dynamics have been used for possibility of an analysis of time series in experimental physiology. Dynamical nature of experimental data was checked using specific methods. Statistical properties of the heart rate have been investigated. Correlation between of cardiovascular function and statistical properties of both, heart rate and stroke volume, have been analyzed. Possibility to use a data from correlations in heart rate for monitoring of cardiovascular function was discussed.

Background Self-evaluated poor sleep increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases; however the role of different sleep complaints is hypothesized. The aim of this study was to establish association between sleep complaints and cardiovascular mortality in the period of 10 years among inhabitants of Palanga city, located at the Western part of Lithuania. Methods and contingent The prevalence of sleep complaints in a 35-74 year old representative sample (N = 1602, 600 males and …

The European Sleep Apnoea Database (ESADA) reflects a network of 22 sleep disorder centres in Europe enabled by a COST action B26 programme. This ongoing project aims to describe differences in standard clinical care of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and to establish a resource for genetic research in this disorder. Patients with suspected OSA are consecutively included and followed up according to local clinical standards. Anthropometrics, medical history, medication, daytime symptoms and sleep data (polysomnography or cardiorespiratory polygraphy) are recorded in a structured web-based report form. 5,103 patients (1,426 females, mean±SD age 51.8±12.6 yrs, 79.4% with apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) ≥5 events·h -1) were included from March 15, 2007 to August 1, 2009. Morbid obesity (body mass index ≥35 kg·m -2) was present in 21.1% of males and 28.6% of females. Cardiovascular, metabolic and pulmonary comorbidities were frequent (49.1%, 32.9% and 14.2%, respectively). Patients investigated with a polygraphic method had a lower AHI than those undergoing polysomnography (23.2±23.5 versus 29.1±26.3 events·h -1, p

Objective. The aim of the study was to establish factors associated with poor sleep and to assess the relationship between self-evaluated sleep quality and health-related quality of life. Material and methods. Sleep complaints were evaluated using Basic Nordic Sleep Questionnaire, and health-related quality of life was assessed by SF-36. Subjective data about sleep quality were obtained from 1602 randomly selected persons: 600 males and 1002 females, aged 35–74 years. SF-36 was filled in by 1016 persons: 379 males and 637 females. Health status was evaluated by Perceived Health Questionnaire. The odds ratios of poor sleep were calculated using binary logistic regression analysis. Results. Among males poor self-evaluated health, frequent stress events, regular nighttime awakenings, and sleep latency period longer than 15 min in workdays were significant predictors of poor sleep. Among females, duration of sleep shorter than 7 h, frequent stress events, poor self-evaluated health, sleep latency period longer than 15 min in workdays, and regular nighttime awakenings predicted poor sleep. Poor sleepers, as compared with good ones, had poorer healthrelated quality of life. Conclusions. Poor perceived health, frequent stress events, regular nighttime awakenings, and sleep latency period longer than 15 min were indicated as significant predictors of poor sleep. Poor sleep worsened health-related quality of life in all domains of SF-36.

The goal was to find out the informative characteristics of heart rate variability (HRV) after the conversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) for prediction of maintenance of sinus rhythm (SR). HRV parameters were obtained in two ways: from Poincare plots and from spectral analysis. Sustained sinus rhythm patient group displayed significantly higher HRV with no difference in baseline HR frequency calculated from Poincare plot, but not from power spectrum. A model based on binary logistic regression of HRV parameters calculated from both models for prediction of patients groups with sustained sinus rhythm or broken one was created. An increased HRV (SDRR) and a decreased minimal and an increased maximal RR intervals on Poincare plot as well as increased HFC, decreased VLFC and relative LFC from power spectrum, might be used for prediction of maintenance of SR

Modifications of heart rate variability were investigated during intravenous-inhalation anesthesia in 80 cancer patients. Heart rate was recorded during active orthostatic test before surgical intervention as well as during: (1) before operation; (2) after atropine (0.01 mg/kg); (3) after intubation; (4) at the beginning of operation; (5) after 30 min from the beginning of operation; (6) after extubation. Heart rate power spectrum analysis with distribution to the three major oscillatory components was performed. Two groups of patients were investigated: (1) with normal baseline autonomic heart rate control and (2) with reduced one. During different stages of surgical intervention and anesthesia heart rate modifications in both groups were seen, although more expressed in patients with normal autonomic control. Concluding, heart rate variability changes throughout operation were related to different stages of anesthesia. Heart rate monitoring might be used for assessment of reflex and humoral heart rate control during anesthesia as well as for evaluation of operational stress.