Assessment of vascular health using photoplethysmograph and a Two-Pulse synthesis model for patients under hemodialysis with End Stage Renal Disease

Degeneration of structural and functional properties of the arterial system is a well reported phenomenon with natural aging, and chronic systemic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia or chronic kidney diseases. A Two-Pulse synthesis model based on the digital volume pulse signal (DVP) obtained noninvasively by photoplethysmography (PPG) has been suggested as a simple, low-cost, portable technology to assess arterial degeneration and progress of such disease conditions [1]. Studies on diabetic, hypertensive and both diabetic and hypertensive patients based on TPS model have been reported earlier [2]. In this paper we report studies on the properties of degenerated arterial system in 14 End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients maintained on chronic hemodialysis. Though the results appear anomalous, a deeper understanding suggests interesting features of the diseased cardiovascular system of such patients.