Comparative analysis of photoplethysmograms of the finger and toe of a human

Abstract

The diagnostic capabilities of the photoplethysmography method can be significantly expanded if, together with the analysis of finger photoplethysmograms, an analysis of toe photoplethysmograms is carried out.
The results of a comparative analysis of photoplethysmograms of the finger and toe of a practically healthy person are presented. For photoplethysmographic parameters (systolic amplitude, dicrotic notch index, reflection index, stiffness index, and ascending wave index), the mode, mode amplitude, and average value were determined. Powers of respiratory, low-frequency and very low-frequency harmonics in the spectra of these indicators are calculated.
It has been established that the photoplethysmogram of the toe has signs of a decrease in the tone of the arteries of the resistive section of the vascular bed, compared with the photoplethysmogram of the finger. At the same time, for the photoplethysmogram of the finger, in comparison with the photoplethysmogram of the toe, an increase in the power of the respiratory harmonic in the spectra of the dicrotic notch index and the reflection index is characteristic.
Thus, photoplethysmography of the toes makes it possible to assess the state of not only regional blood flow, but also the tone of resistive arteries and microcirculation conditions in the region of the upper extremities. This is due to the interference of direct and reflected pulse waves propagating from vascular regions anatomically remote from the lower extremities - the upper body and upper extremities of a person.
In the functional diagnosis of angiopathy and obliterating lesions of peripheral arteries, it seems appropriate to conduct a comparative analysis of the variability and spectral characteristics of photoplethysmographic parameters of vascular blood supply and tone of the hand and foot arteries.

Speaker

Igor B. Isupov
Volgograd State Medical University
Russia

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