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Published on: October 3, 2018
Custom Silicone Vessels for In Vitro Investigations on Vascular Ageing using Photoplethysmography
Insights
This study developed customizable vascular phantoms to investigate vascular ageing. Photoplethysmography (PPG) signals from these phantoms showed differences based on vessel elasticity, suggesting PPG
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Cardiovascular Research
- Medical Device Development
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a significant global health concern.
- Vascular ageing, characterized by arterial stiffness, exacerbates cardiovascular risk.
- Current clinical vascular assessments involve delays and patient anxiety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of Photoplethysmography (PPG) for assessing vascular ageing.
- To develop and utilize novel, customizable in vitro vascular phantoms.
- To investigate the relationship between vascular mechanical properties and PPG signals.
Main Methods:
- Customizable silicone elastomer vessel-tissue phantoms were created with varying additives.
- Mechanical properties (wall thickness, elasticity) of phantom vessels were systematically altered.
- In vitro PPG signals were acquired from the developed vascular phantoms.
- Statistical analysis was performed on PPG signals from phantoms with different elasticities.
Main Results:
- Formulation of silicone elastomers significantly impacted the mechanical properties of the vascular phantoms.
- Distinct in vitro PPG signals were successfully acquired from the customized phantoms.
- A statistically significant difference in PPG signals was observed between phantoms with varying vessel elasticity.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates the feasibility of using customizable phantoms to simulate vascular properties.
- Findings suggest that PPG signals can differentiate between vessels of varying elasticity.
- This research supports further investigation into PPG as a non-invasive indicator for vascular ageing assessment.
Abstract:
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain a major health challenge, affecting millions of individuals. Alongside the impact of CVD, the natural process of vascular ageing contributes to changes in the vascular system, potentially compromising cardiovascular health by causing arterial stiffness. Current clinical methods for vascular health assessment often require referrals from General Practitioners, leading to delays and patient anxiety. Photoplethysmography (PPG), an optical sensing technique employed in numerous wearables, holds promise for assessing cardiovascular health, particularly in the context of vascular ageing. This paper presents a study where novel customisable vessel-tissue phantoms to simulate the vascular system in vitro were implemented. Various additives in the silicone elastomer were explored for their impact on vessel wall thickness and elasticity. The results demonstrate that changes in silicone elastomer formulation significantly affect the mechanical properties of the developed vessels. In vitro PPG signals were acquired from the customised phantoms. Tests have shown statistical difference between two vessel-tissue phantoms with vessels of varying elasticity. This study paves the way in investigating further the potential of PPG as an indicator of vascular ageing.
