Multiscale Simplicial Complex Entropy Analysis of Heartbeat Dynamics

The present study proposes a multiscale analysis of the simplicial complex approximate entropy (MS-SCAE) applied to cardiac interbeat series. The MS-SCAE method is based on quantifying the changes in the simplicial complex associated with the time series when a coarse-grained procedure is performed. Our findings are consistent with those of previously reported studies, which indicate that the complexity of healthy interbeat dynamics remains relatively stable over different scales. However, these dynamics undergo changes in the presence of certain cardiac pathologies, such as congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation. The method we present here allows for effective differentiation between different dynamics and is robust in its ability to characterize both real and simulated sequences. This makes it a suitable candidate for application to a variety of complex signals.