Differences of Heart Rate Variability during Sevoflurane Anesthesia in Children by Age

摘要

Background: The child’s central nervous system develops with aging, and heart rate variability (HRV), which is con-trolled by the brain, differs from that of adults. We investigated changes in HRV during sevoflurane anesthesia in children. Methods: One 138 children aged from 2 - 12 years without major underlying problems were enrolled. During maintenance with 2 - 2.5 vol% sevoflurane anesthesia, electrocardiographic data were obtained and power spectral analysis, approximate entropy (ApEn) or Hurst exponent were analyzed and compared in three groups (age 2 - 5 years, 6 - 9 and 10 - 12 years of age). Results: The RR interval increased with aging, but low-frequency powers did not. High- frequency power was greater in the oldest children (P < 0.05), while ApEn and Hurst exponents were lower (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Change in HRV is one of the characteristics of development in children.