title: Frequency analysis of the peripheral pulse wave detected in the finger with a photoplethysmograph.
abstract: A photoelectric plethysmograph is described that performs a frequency analysis of the peripheral volume pulse wave using a portable computer. It was used to determine how the pulse shape varied with age using 54 subjects in three age groups, 10-29, 30-59, and 60-89 years. The youngest group had a larger power in the second harmonic, (normalized to the fundamental), with p less than 0.05 than the older two groups. The decrease of power in the harmonics of the peripheral pulse wave with age may be a useful noninvasive measure of aging and vascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sherebrin
authors.forename: R Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Sherebrin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D010991:Plethysmography / Q000379:methods*; D011674:Pulse / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values