The cold pressor test is often used to assess vasoconstrictive responses because it simulates the vasoconstrictive challenges commonly encountered in the clinical setting. With IRB approval, 12 healthy volunteers, aged 25--50 yr, underwent baseline plethysmographic monitoring on the finger and ear. The contralateral hand was immersed in ice water for 30 s to elicit a systemic vasoconstrictive response while the recordings were continued. The changes in plethysmographic amplitude for the first 30 s of ice water immersion (period of maximum response) of the finger and ear were compared. The data indicate a significant disparity between the finger and the ear signals in response to the cold stimulus. The average finger plethysmographic amplitude measurement decreased by 48% +/- 19%. In contrast, no significant change was seen in the ear plethysmographic amplitude measurement, which decreased by 2% +/- 10%. We conclude that the ear is relatively immune to the vasoconstrictive effects. These findings suggest that the comparison of the ear and finger pulse oximeter wave forms might be used as a real-time monitor of sympathetic tone and that the ear plethysmography may be a suitable monitor of the systemic circulation.

The ear is relatively immune to vasoconstrictive challenges which make ear plethysmographic waveforms a suitable monitor for central hemodynamic changes. The ear plethysmographic width has a good correlation with CO.

Statistical comparison was made between measured blood pressure (BP) from arterial line and calculated BP derived from ear pulse oximeter waveform in 10 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Using 62,077 paired readings, the mean difference for systolic BP, mean BP, and pulse pressure between the 2 methods was -2.6, -1.88, and -1.28 mm Hg, respectively.

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