Table 1 Evaluation points (P) of STARDHRV followed by Dobbs et al. [23] and modified by Grässler et al. [24]
| Â | Â | Evaluation point | Points | Assessment standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Title or Abstract | Identification as a study of validation | 1 | Reported |
0 | Not reported | |||
2 | Abstract | Structured summary of study objective. Design. Methods. Results. Conclusions | 1 | Yes |
0.5 | Yes. But not structured | |||
0 | Not reported. | |||
3 | Introduction | Scientific and practical background. including the intended use of the index device/software | 1 | Complete. Including the application of the HRV method |
0.5 | With limitations available | |||
0 | Insufficient background. | |||
4 | Study objectives and hypotheses described | 1 | Study objectives and hypothesis | |
0.5 | Study objectives without hypothesis | |||
0 | Not reported | |||
5 | Methods | Study uses within-subject design | 1 | Reported |
0 | Not reported | |||
6 | Intended sample size and how it was determined (e.g., G*Power 3) | 1 | Reported | |
0 | Not reported | |||
7 | Eligibility criteria including specific restrictions (medical use, gender, age, activity level or body mass index (BMI)) | 1 | Reported for health, medical use, gender, age, activity, and BMI | |
0.5 | Reported in some criteria less than 1P | |||
0 | Not reported | |||
8 | Pre-testing guidelines reported (e.g., limitations to caffeine, alcohol, and physical activity) | 1 | Reported for limitations to caffeine, alcohol, and physical activity | |
0.5 | Reported in some criteria less than 1P | |||
0 | Not reported | |||
9 | Setup of reference standard and index device described in sufficient detail to allow replication (e.g., hardware/software such as brand and electrode configuration) | 1 | Sufficient description. A replication is possible. | |
0.5 | Limited description. A replication is partially possible | |||
0 | Insufficient description. Replication is not possible | |||
10 | Description of environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, lights on or off, and time of day) and posture | 1 | Temperature + time of day or same time of day + body position | |
0.5 | Reported in some criteria less than 1P | |||
0 | Not reported | |||
11 | A stabilization period prior to sampling was described | 1 | Yes. With information about when and how long | |
0.5 | Yes. With information about when or how long | |||
0 | Not reported | |||
12 | The raw sampling rate and length of collection are described | 1 | Sampling rate + length of collection | |
0.5 | Only length of collection | |||
0 | Not reported | |||
13 | Acknowledgment of breathing (e.g., controlled or not controlled) | 1 | Reported | |
0 | Not reported | |||
14 | Description of how estimates or comparison measures were calculated (e.g., ES, LOA, Pearson’s r, or ICC) | 1 | Reported | |
0 | Not reported | |||
15 | Reasons for missing data. along with percentage missing (e.g., equipment. persistent ectopy) and how it was handled | 1 | Reasons for missing data + percentage + handling | |
0.5 | Reported in some criteria less than 1P. | |||
0 | Not reported | |||
16 | Interbeat artifact identification method (e.g., algorithm and manual inspection) | 1 | Manual inspection of artifacts | |
0.5 | Automatically without manual correction | |||
0 | Not reported. | |||
17 | Artifact cleaning methods and percentage of beats corrected | 1 | Description method (e.g., smoothing or decimation) and percentage | |
0.5 | Reported in some criteria less than 1P | |||
0 | Not reported | |||
18 | Description of metrics used and software/script for HRV calculation (log transformation) | 1 | Reported | |
0 | Not reported | |||
19 | Specification of frequency bands used and how they were calculated (e.g., fast Fourier transform (FFT) or autoregressive modeling (AR)) | 1 | Reported | |
0 | Not reported | |||
20 | Results | Baseline demographics of participants | 1 | Reported |
0 | Not reported. | |||
21 | Mean ± SD along with at least one estimate of precision (e.g., LOA, Pearson’s r, or ICC) | 1 | p values and effect size | |
0.5 | Only p values | |||
0 | Not reported | |||
22 | Discussion | Study limitations (e.g., sources of potential bias, confounding variables, statistical uncertainty, and generalizability) | 1 | In detail (if necessary also as extra section) |
0.5 | Discussed, but not in detail | |||
0 | Not reported | |||
23 | Implications for practice including the intended use | 1 | Detailed, giving practical recommendations (e.g., clientele and how often), extra section | |
0.5 | Discussed, but not in detail | |||
0 | No statement or simple statement “We have seen differences and suggest that” | |||
24 | Other information | Where the full study protocol can be accessed if not fully described | 1 | Reported |
0 | Not reported | |||
25 | Sources of funding and other support; role of funders | 1 | Information about funding and conflict of interest | |
0.5 | Funding. conflict of Interest or acknowledgement | |||
0 | Not reported |