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Photoplethysmographic waveform characteristics of newborns with coarctation of the aorta

Journal of Perinatology volume 37, pages 77–80 (2017)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

Fetal echocardiography, physical examination and pulse oximetry detect only half of coarctation of aorta (CoA) cases. We aimed to quantify delayed arrival and diminished amplitude of lower extremity photoplethysmographic (PPG) pulses relative to the right hand in affected patients.

Study design:

We studied 8 CoA infants and 32 healthy controls. The pulse arrival time difference between foot and hand (f-hTD) and pulse amplitude ratio (F/H) were measured on PPG signal waveforms by digitally-determining maxima and minima of systolic decrease of light transmission. Mann–Whitney test was used for group comparisons.

Results:

In comparison to healthy newborns, CoA infants’ PPG waveforms demonstrated prolonged f-hTD (mean±s.d. of 73.2±26.6 versus 35.2±8.3 ms, P<0.001) and lower F/H (0.57±0.26 versus 0.99±0.58, P=0.014).

Conclusions:

F-hTD and F/H are quantifiable from hand- and foot-derived PPG waveforms and are significantly different in CoA versus healthy newborns. Larger studies are needed to validate PPG for improved critical congenital heart disease screening.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Cristina Sison, PhD (Biostatistics Unit, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Northwell Health System).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York/Northwell Health System, New Hyde Park, NY, USA

    L Palmeri, Y Shapir & R Koppel

  2. Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, USA

    L Palmeri, Y Shapir & R Koppel

  3. Department of Applied Physics/Electro-Optics, Lev Academic Center-Jerusalem College of Technology, Jerusalem, Israel

    G Gradwohl, M Nitzan, E Hoffman & Y Adar

Authors
  1. L Palmeri
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  2. G Gradwohl
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Correspondence to R Koppel.

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Palmeri, L., Gradwohl, G., Nitzan, M. et al. Photoplethysmographic waveform characteristics of newborns with coarctation of the aorta. J Perinatol 37, 77–80 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2016.162

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