Chapter 26
Phase Coherence Between
Cardiovascular Oscillations in Malaria:
The Basis for a Possible Diagnostic Test
Yunus A. Abdulhameed, Abdulrazaq G. Habib, Peter V. E. McClintock,
and Aneta Stefanovska
Abstract We show how a non-autonomous dynamics approach using time-resolved
analyses of power spectra and phase coherence can help in the noninvasive diagnosis
of malaria. The work is based on studying oscillations in blood flow and the variability
of the heart and respiratory frequencies. The model used assumes that the heart and
respiration are two oscillatory pumps with variable frequencies and that the vascular
resistance also changes in an oscillatory manner. Red blood cells circulating through
the system deliver oxygen to each cell. Malaria changes the red blood cells so that
this delivery is compromised. The oscillatory properties of both pumps are also
affected. We quantify the latter and compare three groups of subjects: febrile malaria
patients (37); non-febrile malaria patients (10); and healthy controls (51). For each
subject, time series of skin blood flow, respiratory effort, cardiac activity (ECG) and
skin temperature were recorded simultaneously over an interval of 30 minutes. The
oscillatory components within the range 0.005–2 Hz were analysed and their degree
of coordination throughout the cardiovascular system was assessed by wavelet phase
coherence analysis. It is shown that malaria, either febrile or non-febrile, substantially
reduces the coordination.
Y. A. Abdulhameed · P. V. E. McClintock · A. Stefanovska (B)
Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, UK
e-mail: aneta@lancaster.ac.uk
P. V. E. McClintock
e-mail: p.v.e.mcclintock@lancaster.ac.uk
Y. A. Abdulhameed
Now at Department of Mathematics, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249,
USA
e-mail: yunusabhamid@yahoo.com
A. G. Habib
Department of Medicine, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
e-mail: abdulrazaq_habib@yahoo.co.uk
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Stefanovska and P. V. E. McClintock (eds.), Physics of Biological
Oscillators, Understanding Complex Systems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59805-1_26
401
Phase Coherence Between
Cardiovascular Oscillations in Malaria:
The Basis for a Possible Diagnostic Test
Yunus A. Abdulhameed, Abdulrazaq G. Habib, Peter V. E. McClintock,
and Aneta Stefanovska
Abstract We show how a non-autonomous dynamics approach using time-resolved
analyses of power spectra and phase coherence can help in the noninvasive diagnosis
of malaria. The work is based on studying oscillations in blood flow and the variability
of the heart and respiratory frequencies. The model used assumes that the heart and
respiration are two oscillatory pumps with variable frequencies and that the vascular
resistance also changes in an oscillatory manner. Red blood cells circulating through
the system deliver oxygen to each cell. Malaria changes the red blood cells so that
this delivery is compromised. The oscillatory properties of both pumps are also
affected. We quantify the latter and compare three groups of subjects: febrile malaria
patients (37); non-febrile malaria patients (10); and healthy controls (51). For each
subject, time series of skin blood flow, respiratory effort, cardiac activity (ECG) and
skin temperature were recorded simultaneously over an interval of 30 minutes. The
oscillatory components within the range 0.005–2 Hz were analysed and their degree
of coordination throughout the cardiovascular system was assessed by wavelet phase
coherence analysis. It is shown that malaria, either febrile or non-febrile, substantially
reduces the coordination.
Y. A. Abdulhameed · P. V. E. McClintock · A. Stefanovska (B)
Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YB, UK
e-mail: aneta@lancaster.ac.uk
P. V. E. McClintock
e-mail: p.v.e.mcclintock@lancaster.ac.uk
Y. A. Abdulhameed
Now at Department of Mathematics, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249,
USA
e-mail: yunusabhamid@yahoo.com
A. G. Habib
Department of Medicine, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria
e-mail: abdulrazaq_habib@yahoo.co.uk
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Stefanovska and P. V. E. McClintock (eds.), Physics of Biological
Oscillators, Understanding Complex Systems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59805-1_26
401