Method and apparatus for the early diagnosis of subacute, potentially catastrophic illness
US6804551B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 27, 2001 |
| Grant date | Oct 12, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 14, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG16H50/50
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method and apparatus for early detection of subacute, potentially catastrophic illness in a patient. The method comprises: (a) monitoring heart rate variability in the patient; and (b) identifying at least one characteristic abnormality in the heart rate variability that is associated with the illness. This method can be use to diagnose illnesses such as, but not limited to, sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, pneumonia and meningitis, as well as noninfectious illnesses. In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method and apparatus for early detection of subacute, potentially catastrophic illness in a patient. The method comprises: (a) monitoring the patient's RR intervals; (b) generating a normalized data set of the RR intervals; (c) calculating one or more of (i) moments of the data set selected from the second and higher moments, including the standard deviation (ii) percentile values of the data set, (iii) sample entropy, and (iv) sample asymmetry; and (d) identifying an abnormal heart rate variability associated with the illness based on one or more of the moments, the percentile values, sample entropy, …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.