• Riccardo Colombo, Ferdinando Raimondi, Alberto Corona, Andrea Marchi, Beatrice Borghi, Simone Pellegrin, Paola Bergomi, Tommaso Fossali, Stefano Guzzetti, and Alberto Porta.
• From the Azienda Ospedaliera Luigi Sacco, Polo Universitario, University of Milan, Milan (RC, AC, BB, SP, PB, TF, SG), Istituto Clinico Humanitas IRCCS, Rozzano (FR), Azienda Ospedaliera Luigi Sacco, Polo Universitario, University of Milan, Milan (RC, AC, BB, SP, PB, TF, SG), Istituto Clinico Humanitas IRCCS, Rozzano (AM), Azienda Ospedaliera Luigi Sacco, Polo Universitario (RC, AC, BB, SP, PB, TF, SG), Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan; Department of Cardiothoracic, Vascular Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, IRCCS Policlinico San DonatoSan Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy (AP).
• Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2017 Aug 1; 34 (8): 526-533.

BackgroundSurgical stress affects the autonomic nervous system by increasing sympathetic outflow. One method of monitoring sympathetic activity is pulse photoplethysmographic analysis. From this two indices can be derived - autonomic nervous system state (ANSS) and ANSS index (ANSSi). It has recently been claimed that these indices can be used to measure sympathetic activity in anaesthetised patients, but their validity has not yet been demonstrated.ObjectiveTo measure changes in pulse photoplethysmographic indices and determine any agreement with autonomic nervous system modulation of the cardiovascular system in healthy study participants during surgery under general anaesthesia.DesignProspective observational study.SettingSingle-centre study based at a tertiary care centre in Milan, Italy.PatientsHealthy patients undergoing general anaesthesia for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.InterventionsANSS, ANSSi, and heart rate variability (HRV) were analysed at three main times: baseline, after induction of general anaesthesia, and after pneumoperitoneum insufflation.Main Outcome MeasuresThe magnitude of changes in photoplethysmographic and HRV indices was measured. The agreement between pulse photoplethysmographic and HRV-derived indices was assessed by Bland-Altman plots.ResultsIn total, 52 patients were enrolled and their data analysed. Both pulse photoplethysmographic and HRV indices changed during the study phases. An agreement was found between ANSSi and low frequency spectral components of HRV [bias 10.2nu, 95% confidence interval (CI) -13 to 33.4], high frequency spectral components of HRV (bias 6.1 nu, 95% CI -16.3 to 28.6), and low frequency/high frequency ratio (bias 16.1nu, 95% CI -1.4 to 33.5). The agreement was weaker between ANSSI and HRV indices.ConclusionThe study endorses the use of pulse photoplethysmographic indices ANSS and ANSSi as surrogates to estimate changes of autonomic modulation of the cardiovascular system in healthy adults during surgery under general anaesthesia.Orcid ID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9616-803X.

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