Abstract:Objective To investigate the role of heart rate variability (HRV) in the diagnosis of vasovagal syncope and its relationship with blood routine parameters.Methods The clinical data of 92 patients with a history of syncope who visited our hospital from July 2015 to January 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. After being admitted to the hospital, the head-up tilt test (HUT) was taken and the 24-hour dynamic electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring was carried out. Patients tested positive and negative for HUT were separately divided into positive group (57 cases) and negative group (35 cases), and another 40 cases of healthy individuals during the same period were set as control group. The standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN), mean of the standard deviations of all the NN intervals for each 5 min segment of a 24 h HRV recording (SDNNi), root mean square of successive RR interval differences (MSSD), percentage of successive RR intervals that differ by more than 50 ms (pNN50), triangular index (TI), total power (TP), very-low-frequency power (VLF), low-frequency power (LF) and high-frequency power (HF) were measured. The levels of SDNN, SDNNi, MSSD, PNN50, TI, TP, VLF, LF and HF in positive group, negative group and control group were compared after 24 h ECG monitoring. The efficacy of HRV parameters in the diagnosis of vasovagal syncope was analyzed. The levels of red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and platelet count (PLT) in the positive group, negative group, and control group were compared. The correlation between HRV parameters and blood routine parameters in positive group was analyzed.Results The levels of TP, VLF, LF and HF in positive group were higher than those in negative group and control group (P < 0.05). The sensitivity and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of the combination of TP, VLF, LF and HF for diagnosing vasovagal syncope were the highest (P < 0.05), while the specificity of LF was the highest (P < 0.05). The levels of HGB, MCH and PLT were greater in the positive group compared with negative group and control group (P < 0.05). Besides, the levels of HGB, MCH and PLT were positively correlated with TP, VLF, LF and HF, respectively (P < 0.05).Conclusions The HRV is abnormal in HUT-positive patients with vasovagal syncope. The efficacy of the combination of TP, VLF, LF and HF in the diagnosis of vasovagal syncope is great, and it can be considered in clinical practice. The levels of HGB, MCH and PLT are increased, and the blood routine parameters are positively correlated with HRV in HUT-positive patients.