背景：在臨床上，常使用心率變異度（heart rate variability, HRV)來當作自主神經活性的指標，並且也應 用在疼痛的相關研究上。近幾年來，也已有學者開始探討脈率變異度（pulse rate variability，PRV)是否可取代 HRV應用在相關研究上。然而，目前仍鮮少研究應用在病患身上來進行探討，主要還是應用在健康正常人 身上。目的：本研究主要探討PRV是否可取代I-IRV應用於慢性肌筋膜病症（myofascial pain syndromes, MPS) 上，以協助相關研究建立臨床上應用PRV取代HRV的相關依據。方法：本研究收取26位MPS病患，藉由 多訊號撤取系統•掏取MPS病患於熱敷以及電療前、後之心電圖（electrocardiography, ECG)、光體積描記器 (photoplethysmogmphy，PPG)訊號，進而取得PRV與HRV參數。結果：研究結果經由相關性與一致性統計撿定 得知，PRV幾乎所有時頻域參數與HRV時頻域參數呈現統計意義上的高度相關和高度一致；而個別在治療前 後的參數差異性結果中也發現PRV參數與HRV參數具有相同的變化趨勢。結論：因此本研究結果推测以脈膊 間期（pulse-pulse interval, PPI)為基礎取代心律間期（R-R interval, RR丨）進行HRV分析，並應用於臨床上MPS病 患評估疼痛具有可行性。

Background： Tlie heart rate variability (HRV) is commonly UvSed to assess the autonomic nervous functions in pain-related studies. Tlic pulse rate variability (PRV), which is determined by photoplethysmography, has been suggested as a substitute for HRV to assevss the autonomic nervous functions. However, up to date, the interchangeability between the two indexes was only considered in a limited group of subjects. Objective： Tliis study was to investigate the feasibility of substituting PRV for HRV in patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) to expand die clinical applications of rhe PRV. Methods： Twenty-six MPS patients were recruited in this study. Tlieir HRV and PRV parameters were recorded by using the electrocardiography and plethysmography in a pre- and post-treatment study design. RESULTS: Almost all of rhe time-and frequency-domain paiametcrs of the PRV showed highly significant correlations with those for HRV. Conclusion： Tlic results suggest that the substituting PRV for HRV in the MPS patients is clinically feasible.