CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-198572 filed on Oct. 12, 2017, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The presently disclosed subject matter relates to a physiological information processing apparatus and a physiological information processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program which causes a computer to execute the physiological information processing method.

According to a related art method, abnormality of an autonomic nerve function of a patient is identified by using a plurality of RR intervals, each being an interval between adjacent heartbeat waveforms. For example, a related art electrocardiogram analysis apparatus is configured to perform spectrum analysis (frequency analysis) on RR interval data including a plurality of RR intervals and to display the result of the spectrum analysis on a display screen (see, e.g., JPH6-105818A). This allows a medical personnel to see if there is an abnormality of the patient's autonomic nerve function by visually confirming the spectrum analysis result.

In order for a medical personnel to accurately check whether there is an abnormality of the autonomic nerve function of the patient by visually confirming the spectrum analysis result, it is preferable that no RR interval indicative of arrhythmia be included in the RR interval data to be spectrum-analyzed. When an RR interval indicative of arrhythmia is included in the RR interval data, the spectrum of the RR interval data may not accurately reflect the autonomic nerve function of the patient. The RR interval indicative of arrhythmia may be automatically identified and removed from the RR interval data before performing the spectrum analysis on RR interval data. However, because the analysis apparatus is appropriately executing the automatic processing to identify arrhythmia cannot be visually confirmed, a medical personnel may feel anxious about the reliability of the automatic processing executed by the analysis apparatus. From the above viewpoint, there is room to improve usability of the analysis apparatus.

SUMMARY

One or more illustrative aspects of the presently disclosed subject matter provide a physiological information processing apparatus, a physiological information processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium storing a program to cause a computer to execute the physiological information processing method, with improved usability.

According to an aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, a physiological information processing apparatus includes a processor and a memory storing computer-readable instructions. When the computer-readable instructions are executed by the processor, the processor causes the physiological information processing apparatus to obtain physiological information data indicative of physiological information of a subject, obtain RR interval data including a plurality of RR intervals based on the physiological information data, identify an RR interval indicative of arrhythmia in the RR interval data, and display the RR interval data as a plurality of plotted points on a two-dimensional coordinate system. One axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an n-th RR interval, and another axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an (n+1)-th RR interval. The RR interval data is displayed on the two-dimensional coordinate system such that a visual mode of a plurality of first plotted points associated with the RR interval indicative of arrhythmia and a visual mode of plotted points of the RR interval data other than the plurality of first plotted points are different from each other.

According to another aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, a physiological information processing apparatus includes a processor and a memory storing computer-readable instructions. When the computer-readable instructions are executed by the processor, the processor causes the physiological information processing apparatus to obtain physiological information data indicative of physiological information of a subject, obtain RR interval data including a plurality of RR intervals based on the physiological information data, identify an RR interval indicative of arrhythmia in the RR interval data, display the RR interval data as a plurality of plotted points on a two-dimensional coordinate system, wherein one axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an n-th RR interval, n being a natural number, and another axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an (n+1)-th RR interval, obtain at least one first parameter associated with an autonomic nerve function of the subject based on the RR interval data other than the RR interval indicative of arrhythmia, and display a first trend graph showing temporal change in the first parameter.

According to another aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, a physiological information processing apparatus includes a processor and a memory storing computer-readable instructions. When the computer-readable instructions are executed by the processor, the processor causes the physiological information processing apparatus to obtain physiological information data indicative of physiological information of a subject, obtain RR interval data including a plurality of RR intervals based on the physiological information data, displays the RR interval data as a plurality of plotted points on a two-dimensional coordinate system, wherein one axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an n-th RR interval, n is a natural number, and another axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an (n+1)-th RR interval, identify a plurality of first plotted points among a plurality of plotted points of the RR interval data in accordance with an input operation from a user, and obtain at least one first parameter associated with an autonomic nerve function of the subject based on the RR interval associated with the identified first plotted points.

According to another aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, a physiological information processing method to be executed by a computer is provided. The physiological information processing method includes steps of (a) obtaining physiological information data indicative of physiological information of a subject, (b) obtaining RR interval data including a plurality of RR intervals based on the physiological information data, (c) identifying an RR interval indicative of arrhythmia in the RR interval data, and (d) displaying the RR interval data as a plurality of plotted points on a two-dimensional coordinate system, wherein one axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an n-th RR interval, n being a natural number and another axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an (n+1)-th RR interval. The step (d) includes displaying the RR interval data on the two-dimensional coordinate system such that a visual mode of a plurality of first plotted points associated with the RR interval indicative of arrhythmia and a visual mode of plotted points of the RR interval data other than the plurality of first plotted points are different from each other.

According to another aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, a physiological information processing method to be executed by a computer is provided. The physiological information processing method includes steps of (a) obtaining physiological information data indicative of physiological information of a subject, (b) obtaining RR interval data including a plurality of RR intervals based on the physiological information data, (c) identifying an RR interval indicative of arrhythmia in the RR interval data, (d) displaying the RR interval data as a plurality of plotted points on a two-dimensional coordinate system, wherein one axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an n-th RR interval, n being a natural number, and another axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an (n+1)-th RR interval, (e) obtaining at least one first parameter associated with an autonomic nerve function of the subject based on the RR interval data other than the RR interval indicative of arrhythmia, and (f) displaying a first trend graph showing temporal change in the first parameter.

According to another aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, a physiological information processing method to be executed by a computer is provided. The physiological information processing method includes steps of (a) obtaining physiological information data indicative of physiological information of a subject, (b) obtaining RR interval data including a plurality of RR intervals based on the physiological information data, (c) displaying the RR interval data as a plurality of plotted points on a two-dimensional coordinate system, where one axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an n-th RR interval, n being a natural number, and another axis of the two-dimensional coordinate system represents an (n+1)-th RR interval, (d) identifying a plurality of first plotted points among the plurality of plotted points of the RR interval data in accordance with an input operation from a user, and (e) obtaining at least one first parameter associated with an autonomic nerve function of the subject based on the RR interval data associated with the identified first plotted points.

According to another aspect of the presently disclosed subject matter, a computer-readable storage medium is provided. The computer-readable storage medium stores a program which causes a computer to execute at least one of the physiological information processing methods described above.

