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Short and longer term repeatability of ballistocardiography in a sitting position with EMFi sensor

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Abstract

Short and long-term alterations of ballistocardiographic parameters (BCG) were studied in a sitting position using Electromechanical Film (EMFi) sensors. Several physiological parameters were recorded from 48 men of middle age in consecutive recordings and after a 2-week interval. The duration and amplitudes of the signal components were studied. The repeatability index R, the Pearson correlation, and Bland–Altman (BA) repeatability methods were used to determine how repeatable the studied signals are. In consecutive and during 2 week recordings, the Pearson correlation rates for BCG systolic component values (from 0.88/0.83 (T RJ) to 0.97/0.78 (A IJ), PWV values for the left 0.97/0.67 and right ankle 0.98/0.76) were detected indicating excellent repeatability during consecutive recordings. Respectively BA T RJ was −0.002 ± 0.028/−0.004 ± 0.030. Corresponding R values were T RJ 0.90/0.82 and right ankle PWV 0.98/0.81. Quite modest blood pressure R values were obtained between 2 week recordings (systolic 0.63, diastolic 0.75, and heart rate 0.59). BCG and PWV measured with EMFi sensors are highly repeatable in consecutive recordings. In longer time interval recordings, BCG is influenced by hemodynamic instability, but in spite of this the reproducibility of the main parameters of the BCG and PWV were better than measured heart rate and blood pressure values.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Wihuri Foundation who we wish to thank for their financial support. We also thank the measured persons for participating in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, Finland

    Jarmo Alametsä & Jari Viik

  2. Kanta-Häme Central Hospital, Hämeenlinna, Finland

    Ari Palomäki

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  1. Jarmo Alametsä
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  2. Ari Palomäki
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  3. Jari Viik
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Correspondence to Jarmo Alametsä.

Appendix

Appendix

See Fig. 6.

Fig. 6
figure 6

First recording from case 39 (127/83 heart rate 61) on the left and second recording (2 weeks after the first one) on the right picture (133/82 heart rate 53) including ECG, seated BCG, CP tracings and the tracings from the wrist and ankle signals using EMFi sensor strips. Using the wrist and ankle signals, the propagation speed of the pulse wave can be accurately measured. Visually the tracings correspond mainly to each other except for the amplitude of the signals, which were in general smaller in all channels in the second recording when compared to the first one. The CP supplements the BCG data by indicating the exact place of the blood ejection from the left ventricle

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Alametsä, J., Palomäki, A. & Viik, J. Short and longer term repeatability of ballistocardiography in a sitting position with EMFi sensor. Med Biol Eng Comput 49, 881–889 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-011-0746-y

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