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. 2020 Oct 5;10(1):16464.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-73531-0.

Association of remote imaging photoplethysmography and cutaneous perfusion in volunteers

Stefan Rasche  1 , Robert Huhle  2 , Erik Junghans  2 , Marcelo Gama de Abreu  2 , Yao Ling  3 , Alexander Trumpp  3 , Sebastian Zaunseder  4
Affiliations

Association of remote imaging photoplethysmography and cutaneous perfusion in volunteers

Stefan Rasche et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Remote imaging photoplethysmography (iPPG) senses the cardiac pulse in outer skin layers and is responsive to mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure in critically ill patients. Whether iPPG is sufficiently sensitive to monitor cutaneous perfusion is not known. This study aimed at determining the response of iPPG to changes in cutaneous perfusion measured by Laser speckle imaging (LSI). Thirty-seven volunteers were engaged in a cognitive test known to evoke autonomic nervous activity and a Heat test. Simultaneous measurements of iPPG and LSI were taken at baseline and during cutaneous perfusion challenges. A perfusion index (PI) was calculated to assess iPPG signal strength. The response of iPPG to the challenges and its relation to LSI were determined. PI of iPPG significantly increased in response to autonomic nervous stimuli and to the Heat test by 5.8% (p = 0.005) and 11.1% (p < 0.001), respectively. PI was associated with LSI measures of cutaneous perfusion throughout experiments (p < 0.001). iPPG responses to study task correlated with those of LSI (r = 0.62, p < 0.001) and were comparable among subjects. iPPG is sensitive to autonomic nervous activity in volunteers and is closely associated with cutaneous perfusion.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representation of the congruent (left) and incongruent Stroop test with matching or different colour and meaning of the target word.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Outline of the study protocol.
Figure 3
Figure 3
ROI definition algorithm. See text for details.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Exemplary imaging plethysmogram recorded at subjects´ forehead at rest (left) and after the Heat test (right). The top rows show the raw iPPG signal derived from light reflection in the green color channel, the middle the processed AC component and the bottom the DC component. An upward shift in the mean intensity and an increase in the AC component along with Heat test are clearly discernible.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Correlation for PI response ΔPIZ to Flux response ΔFluxZ at each study intervention (values normalized).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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