Associations of heart rate variability at early post-injury with later post-traumatic stress disorder over two years

Background

This study examines the prospective associations between early post-injury heart rate variability (HRV) measures and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development over a two-year follow-up period.

Methods

Baseline HRV parameters were measured including the Standard Deviation of NN Intervals (SDNN), Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD), Low Frequency (LF) and High Frequency (HF) bands, and LF/HF ratio. Socio-demographic and clinical covariates were also collected. PTSD diagnoses were assessed using CAPS-5 at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-baseline. Linear regression analyses evaluated the associations between HRV parameters and PTSD diagnoses.

Results

Among 538 patients analyzed, 58 (10.8 %) were diagnosed with PTSD, with prevalence rates of 8.4 % at 3 months, 6.5 % at 6 months, 4.8 % at 12 months, and 2.5 % at 24 months. Lower RMSSD and LF values predicted PTSD over two years, with significant associations at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Lower HF values were also significantly associated with PTSD at 3 months, findings robust after adjusting for covariates and applying Bonferroni corrections.

Conclusion

HRV measures obtained shortly after traumatic events can serve as predictive biomarkers for PTSD, particularly within the first 6 months following a physical injury.