Non-linear dynamics in patients with stable angina pectoris

Dynamic analysis techniques may quantify abnormalities in heart rate behaviour based on nonlinear and fractal analysis. To investigate the clinical and prognostic significance of the fractal dimension and de-trended fluctuation analysis, a group of patients with stable angina pectoris without previous myocardial infarction and an age-matched healthy control group were studied. The fractal dimension of the R-R series was determined by the range-rescaled analysis technique. To quantify the fractal long-range correlation properties of heart rate variability, the de-trended fluctuation analysis technique was used The short-term fractal scaling exponent (/spl alpha//sub 1/) was significantly lower in patients with stable angina pectoris (0.95/spl plusmn/0.05 vs. 1.08/spl plusmn/0.06; p<0.05). The patients with stable angina pectoris had a higher fractal dimension than the healthy control group (p<0.01).