title: Evaluation of arterial stiffness by finger-toe pulse wave velocity: optimization of signal processing and clinical validation.
abstract: Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) (cf-PWV) is the gold standard for measuring aortic stiffness. Finger-toe PWV (ft-PWV) is a simpler noninvasive method for measuring arterial stiffness. Although the validity of the method has been previously assessed, its accuracy can be improved. ft-PWV is determined on the basis of a patented height chart for the distance and the pulse transit time (PTT) between the finger and the toe pulpar arteries signals (ft-PTT).
  
  
  
  The objective of the first study, performed in 66 patients, was to compare different algorithms (intersecting tangents, maximum of the second derivative, 10% threshold and cross-correlation) for determining the foot of the arterial pulse wave, thus the ft-PTT. The objective of the second study, performed in 101 patients, was to investigate different signal processing chains to improve the concordance of ft-PWV with the gold-standard cf-PWV. Finger-toe PWV (ft-PWV) was calculated using the four algorithms.
  
  
  
  The best correlations relating ft-PWV and cf-PWV, and relating ft-PTT and carotid-femoral PTT were obtained with the maximum of the second derivative algorithm [PWV: r = 0.56, P < 0.0001, root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.9 m/s; PTT: r = 0.61, P < 0.001, RMSE = 12 ms]. The three other algorithms showed lower correlations. The correlation between ft-PTT and carotid-femoral PTT further improved (r = 0.81, P < 0.0001, RMSE = 5.4 ms) when the maximum of the second derivative algorithm was combined with an optimized signal processing chain.
  
  
  
  Selecting the maximum of the second derivative algorithm for detecting the foot of the pressure waveform, and combining it with an optimized signal processing chain, improved the accuracy of ft-PWV measurement in the current population sample. Thus, it makes ft-PWV very promising for the simple noninvasive determination of aortic stiffness in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: aINSERM-PARCC U970 bDepartment of Pharmacology and Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris cGerontology Department, Nantes University, Nantes dAxelife SAS, Saint Nicolas de Redon eUniversité Paris-Descartes, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Obeid
authors.forename: Hakim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khettab
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marais
authors.forename: Magid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hallab
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boutouyrie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D014034:Toes / Q000098:blood supply; D055815:Young Adult