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Student: Akbar Lutfullah

Project Title: Heart Rhythms
Supervisor: Dr Ben Hanson
Background

This project conducts research into the analysis of frequencies and variations in the
fluctuations of heart rate around an average heart rate. This phenomenon is known as Heart
Rate Variability (HRV) where the variation of beat to beat intervals is assessed. Previously,
pulse was measured by ancient Greek scientists and physicians, and in 1707 the Physicians
Pulse Watch was invented where for the first time changes in pulse rate could be precisely
assessed1. Since then, many techniques have been made use of in order to quantify beat to
beat variability so that there are indices of cardiac autonomic regulation in diseases and
health1. The analysis of HRV comprises of 2 primary approaches: frequency domain
methods, and time domain methods. Although the time domain techniques are more
convenient to calculate, frequency domain techniques provide greater insights into
variation in heartbeats.

figure1: comparison of HRV analysis in the time domain and in the frequency domain

Although HRV is gaining widespread acceptance as a
comprehensive measure in the cardiac autonomic changes
in patients, the techniques used in order to measure it do
have some limitations2. It has now been well established that
respiratory parameters can deeply change R-R interval
variability along with heart rate in cardiac autonomic
regulation 1. Therefore, to be able to interpret HRV data
accurately, it is crucial that breathing is controlled.
Furthermore, it is understood that HRV is unable to provide
any direct measurement of cardiac sympathetic or
parasympathetic activity. It only provides an indirect analysis
of cardiac autonomic activity 5 and therefore the
correlation between cardiac autonomic regulation and HRV
is a qualitative measure and not a quantitative one. Normal
to normal (NN/RR) intervals are sequences that are used as a
standard approach in evaluating the overall HRV. Various
statistical methods are being employed for example,
standard deviation of NN intervals, along with the standard deviation of differences
between NN intervals.

Aim

The aim of this project is to detect fluctuations in the rhythm of heart rate in order to find
out about feedback control systems that take control of the heart.

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Objectives

The following are objectives I intend to complete through the duration of this project:

Research into the various fields HRV is made use of along with exploring the various
methods of analysis (ECG, blood pressure, ballistocardiograms).
Gain an in depth insight into the limitations and caveats associated with measuring
HRV and using it as a reliable metric for health and diseases.
Identify and assess the growing prominence of HRV in training and exercising
purposes for top performing athletes.
Once I am provided with the Polar H7, a portable chest-mounted heart monitor, an
in-depth examination into the frequencies of variations will be done, using Fourier
Transforms and other frequency domain techniques.
Analysis of the recorded data from the Polar H7 will then be exported to Excel for
documentation.
Progress to date

From my initial research in regards to HRV, I read papers discussing the clinical applications
in HRV such as Heart Rate Variability- A historical perspective -George E. Billman. This
paper helped me understand:

Along with diabetes, heart failure, smoking, obesity, work stress and hypertension
have all been shown to display a reduction in HRV
Wolf et al-1978, was the pioneer in demonstrating a direct relationship between
mortality and HRV, following the onset of myocardial infarction (a heart attack).
Patients that are recovering from a heart attack typically produce a reduction in
HRV, and those with the greatest reduction in this variable also have higher chances
in dying.1

Furthermore, I inspected the usage of HRV in the field of training and exercise, papers
that I read relating these two included: The role of heart rate variability in sports
physiology Jin-Guo Dong. Findings from this study include:

Athletes can benefit highly from managing physical fatigue and establish intensity in
exercise by examining variations in HRV caused by changes in their Autonomic
Nervous System.
HRV monitoring, post workouts and gruelling training sessions can play a major role
in optimisation of overall body recovery and future training methods.3

the initial maximum to a final minimum. The outcome was a success in reaching a working animation
that met the aims, although it was extremely unrealistic in that it did not account for physical
phenomena such as ripples and meniscuses. During the period in which the piloting will be carried
of the
out, this initial start may either be improved or discarded, depending on the outcomes Page 3
Investigation and Analysis stage of this project.

Gantt Chart

Gantt chart

Figure 5 shows the Gantt Chart of planned events.

Week starting
Research
Identify methods of simulation
Identify available algorithms
Investigate performance criteria
Investigation & Analysis
Compare the different methods
Identify most efficient algorithms

Summer 05-Oct 19-Oct 02-Nov 16-Nov 30-Nov 14-Dec 28-Dec 11-Jan 25-Jan 08-Feb 22-Feb 07-Mar 21-Mar

April

*Define performance criteria

*Choose preferred method and language for simulation

Implementation
Pilot different methods
Code the simulation

*Commit to one of the routes tested

Testing
Test for bugs/errors
Documentation & Evaluation
Determine form of calibration
Assess final product
Final report writing

*Decide form of calibration

Figure 5: Gantt Chart of planned events. Asterisks indicate decisions that need to be made at the end of the planned time.

References

References

Bao, Y.B., Meskas, J. (2011), Lattice Boltzmann Method for Fluid Simulations, pp. 1-16.
Braley, C. and Sandu, A. (n.d.), Fluid Simulation for Computer Graphics: A Tutorial in Grid Based
1. Heart Rate Variability A Historical Approach
and Particle Based Methods. Virginia Tech.
George E. Billman
Hanson, B. (2015), Third Year Project Supervisor Meetings.
Frontiers in Physiology (www.frontiersin.org), Volume 2, Article 86, November 2011.
OBrien, J.F. and Hodgins, J.K. (1995), Dynamic Simulation of Splashing Fluids. Atlanta, GA.
Page 1-13
Premoe, S., Tasdizen, T., Bigler, J., Lefohn, A. and Whitaker, R. T. (2003), Particle-Based
Simulation of Fluids. Computer Graphics Forum, 22: 401410.
2. Electrophysiology, Pacing, and Arrhythmia
Theurey, N. (2007), Physically based Animation of Free Surface Flows with the Lattice
Boltzmann Method. Erlangen, Germany.
A. John Camm, M. D., F. R. C. P., F. A. C, C
Thuerey, N., Pohl, T., Ruede, U., Oechsner, M. and Koerner, C. (2006), Optimization and
Stabilization of LBM Free Surface Flow Simulations using Adaptive Parameterization.
3. The role of heart rate variability in sports physiology (Review)
Computers and Fluids, 35: 934-939.
JIN-GUO DONG

EXPERIMENTAL AND THERAPEUTIC MEDICINE 11

Declaration

I, Yousef Anis, declare that this work I intend to submit and present is entirely my own work except
where the works of other authors in any form (ideas, equations, figures, text, tables, programs, etc.,)

are explicitly and individually indicated and that all sources used in its preparation and all quotations
are clearly cited. A full list of references employed is included. Should this statement prove to be
untrue, I recognise the right of the Board of Examiners to recommend what action should be taken in
Declaration
line with UCL's Regulations.

I, Akbar Lutfullah confirm that the work presented in this report if my own. Where Page 3 of 3
information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in
the report.