Sex plays an important role in the normal cardiovascular system function including resting heart rate and arterial blood pressure. In addition, it has been reported that men and women are at different levels of risk for cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the temporal and morphological features of both finger and toe photoplethysmography (PPG), and anthropometric and biological parameters with respect to sex. A customized PPG and electrocardiography (ECG) combo device was developed to measure the signals of interest. ECG/PPG features in addition to subjects’ information were compared regarding finger and toe PPGs. Eighty-eight subjects participated in the study. Linear regression and Student’s t-test were used for statistical analysis. Our results revealed that pulse arrival time (PAT), pulse transit time (PTT), systolic pulse transit time (SPTT), and the ratio of areas under the PPG waveform from the onset to the inflection point and the inflection point to the end of the waveform (S2/S1), are dependent on sex. The highest dependence was shown for the finger PTT while the toe PTT did not indicate any significant dependence on sex. This is the first study that evaluates the effect of sex on cardiovascular system function using finger and toe PPG based features which can help to understand sex-based risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and to improve related disease management and treatments.

中文翻译：

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从手指和脚趾测量的光电容积脉搏波信号的性别相关差异

性在正常心血管系统功能中起着重要作用，包括静息心率和动脉血压。此外，据报道，男性和女性患心血管疾病的风险水平不同。本研究的目的是评估和比较手指和脚趾光电容积描记 (PPG) 的时间和形态特征，以及与性别有关的人体测量学和生物学参数。开发了定制的 PPG 和心电图 (ECG) 组合设备来测量感兴趣的信号。除了受试者的信息之外，还比较了关于手指和脚趾 PPG 的 ECG/PPG 特征。八十八名受试者参与了这项研究。线性回归和学生 t 检验用于统计分析。我们的结果表明，脉冲到达时间（PAT），脉搏传导时间 (PTT)、收缩期脉搏传导时间 (SPTT) 以及 PPG 波形下从起始点到拐点以及拐点到波形结束点的面积比 (S2/S1) 取决于性别。手指 PTT 的依赖性最高，而脚趾 PTT 没有表明对性别有任何显着依赖性。这是第一项使用基于手指和脚趾 PPG 的特征来评估性别对心血管系统功能影响的研究，有助于了解基于性别的心血管疾病风险因素，并改善相关疾病的管理和治疗。手指 PTT 的依赖性最高，而脚趾 PTT 没有表明对性别有任何显着依赖性。这是第一项使用基于手指和脚趾 PPG 的特征来评估性别对心血管系统功能影响的研究，有助于了解基于性别的心血管疾病风险因素，并改善相关疾病的管理和治疗。手指 PTT 的依赖性最高，而脚趾 PTT 没有表明对性别有任何显着依赖性。这是第一项使用基于手指和脚趾 PPG 的特征来评估性别对心血管系统功能影响的研究，有助于了解基于性别的心血管疾病风险因素，并改善相关疾病的管理和治疗。