Table 1.
Measures of HR Dynamics Among the Post‐Infarct Patients Who Died Due to Cardiac Causes During the Follow‐up and Among the Matched Survivors
| Clinical Variables | Dead (n = 42) | Alive (n = 42) | P Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 69 ± 8 | 68 ± 8 | NS |
| Men/women | 26/16 | 26/16 | NS |
| EF (%) | 39 ± 12 | 42 ± 10 | NS |
| NYHA‐class II‐III | 67% | 67% | NS |
| Number of premature beats/hour | 26 ± 42 | 32 ± 68 | NS |
| Measures of HR dynamics | |||
| SDNN | 76 ± 25 | 87 ± 32 | NS |
| α1‐unedited | 0.71 ± 0.33 | 0.89 ± 0.36 | 0.05 |
| α1‐edited | 1.01 ± 0.31 | 1.19 ± 0.27 | 0.01 |
| α2‐unedited | 1.08 ± 0.20 | 1.09 ± 0.16 | NS |
| α2‐edited | 1.21 ± 0.11 | 1.17 ± 0.12 | NS |
Values are expressed as mean ± standard deviation unless otherwise indicated.
EF = ejection fraction; NYHA = New York Heart Association Classification; SDNN = standard deviation of all R‐R intervals; α1= short‐term scaling exponent; α2= long‐term scaling exponent; unedited = analysis of fractal measures of R‐R interval variability including the premature beats; edited = analysis of fractal measures of R‐R interval variability after editing of the premature beats.