Long-range dependence in heart rate variability data: ARFIMA modelling vs detrended fluctuation analysis

Heart rate variability (HRV) data display non-stationary characteristics and exhibit long-range correlation (memory). Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) has become a widely-used technique for long memory estimation in non-stationary HRV data. Recently, we have proposed an alternative approach based on fractional integrated autoregressive moving average (ARFIMA) models. ARFIMA models, combined with selective adaptive segmentation may be used to capture and remove long-range correlation, leading to an improved description and interpretation of the components in 24 hour HRV recordings. In this work estimation of long memory by DFA and selective adaptive ARFIMA modelling is carried out in 24 hour HRV recordings of 17 healthy subjects of two age groups. The two methods give similar information on long-range global characteristics. However, ARFIMA modelling is advantageous, allowing the description of long-range correlation in reduced length segments.