Table 1.
Description of the digital pulse wave analysis variables used in the study, revised from von Wowern et al. [5]
| Variable | Physiological background | Conditions with high values | Conditions with low values | Interpretation of increase | Interpretation of decrease |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulse height (PH) | Circulation in small finger arteries, perfusion of finger tips | High BP, hyperthyroidism, fever, anemia, excessive blood volume, exercise, well-tuned athlete | Peripheral vaso-constriction, low BP, hypovolemia/dehydration, hypothyroidism, increased peripheral resistance | Peripheral vasodilatation | Peripheral vasoconstriction |
| Left ventricular ejection time compensated (ETc) | Represents systole, i.e. time from onset of the systolic upstroke limb to the closure of the aortic valve | Aortic valve stenosis, increased large artery compliance (low vascular tone)a | LV failure, decreased preload, hypovolemia, decreased large artery compliance (high vascular tone) a | Increase in LV ejection time, Decreased afterload, decreased SVR, increased preload a |
Decrease in LV ejection time, Increased afterload, increased SVR, decreased preload a |
| Cardiac ejection elasticity index (EEI) | Index for LV ejection capacity and compliance/elasticity of large arteries | Large artery vasodilatation, anemia, increased LV ejection power, hyperthyroidism, congested heart failure | Large artery vasoconstriction, arteriosclerosis, LV ejection insufficiency | Increase in LV ejection power, large artery vasodilatation | Decrease in LV ejection power, large artery vasoconstriction |
| Dicrotic index (DI) | Represents the peripheral circulation, indicates peripheral resistance | Small artery vasoconstriction | Small artery vasodilatation | Peripheral vasoconstriction | Peripheral vasodilatation |
| b/a | Early systolic PW peaks identified by second derivatives of the crude PW curve contour; indicates LV ejection capacity and large artery compliance/elasticity | Low large artery elasticity, increased cardiovascular risk, vasoconstriction, atherosclerosis, increases by age | Young persons, athletes | Large artery vasoconstriction, decreased LV ejection | Large artery vasodilatation, increased LV ejection |
| d/a | d is a late systolic PW peak identified by second derivative of the crude PW curve contour; mainly reflects the intensity of the tidal PW from small peripheral arteries | High small artery elasticity, young persons | A longer negative d peak develops by advancing age, indicating arterial stiffness, atherosclerosis | Small artery vasodilatation | Small artery vasoconstriction |
| Ageing index (AI) | AI = (b-c-d-e)/a, representing the global vascular stiffness, i.e. “vascular age” | Atherosclerosis, increases by age | Young persons, athletes | Global arterial vasoconstriction | Global arterial vasodilatation |
BP blood pressure, SVR systemic vascular resistance, LV left heart ventricle, PW pulse wave
a) See Discussion for interpretation