Advance Access publication xx xx xxxx Editorial Review Heart rate variability (HRV) in kidney failure: measurement and

A common cause of death in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on dialysis is sudden cardiac death (SCD). Compared to the general population, the percentage of car-diovascular deaths that are attributed to SCD is higher in patients treated by dialysis. While coronary artery disease (CAD) is the predominant cause of SCD in dialysis pa-tients, reduced heart rate variability (HRV) may play a role in the higher risk of SCD among other risk factors. HRV refers to beat-to-beat alterations in heart rate as measured by periodic variation in the R–R interval. HRV provides a non-invasive method for investigating autonomic input into the heart. It quantifies the amount by which the R–R inter-val or heart rate changes from one cardiac cycle to the next. The autonomic nervous system transmits impulses fro