Relationships of pulse waveform parameters to mood states and chronic fatigue

The present study examined if pulse waveform parameters (PWPs) are indicative of mood state and chronic fatigue associated with pathologic patterns in East Asian medicine and if cardiovascular autonomic function is associated with relationships among PWPs, mood, and fatigue.

A total of 43 healthy college students (men:women=31:12), ages 19-24, were enrolled in the study. Each subject completed the standard Profile of Mood States and the revised Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire. The current authors developed a MATLAB-based software program to calculate time- and amplitude-related photoplethysmography (PTG) and the parameters of the first and second derivatives of PTG (FDPTG and SDPTG, respectively). Based on peak-to-peak intervals detected using PTG, we also calculated pulse rate variability parameters, such as low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), total power (TP), and the ratio of low frequency to high frequency power (LF/HF).

In men and women, time-related dicrotic parameters of the FDPTG and SDPTG were indicative of depression and anger related to Liver Qi Stagnancy and Phlegm patterns. In men, time-related dicrotic wave parameters were indicative of mental fatigue associated with the Heart Deficiency pattern, whereas vascular augmentation-related parameters were indicative of physical fatigue associated with the Spleen Deficiency pattern in women. In women, sympathovagal balance-related LF/HF was associated with relationships among vascular augmentation-related parameters, fatigue mood, and chronic fatigue.

These results suggest that PWPs are indicative of mood state and chronic fatigue associated with pathologic patterns in East Asian medicine. The results also showed significant gender differences.