Name: WELITON MARQUES RIBEIRO DOS SANTOS
Publication date: 10/12/2024
Advisor:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| CAMILO ARTURO RODRIGUEZ DIAZ | Advisor |
Examining board:
| Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| CAMILO ARTURO RODRIGUEZ DIAZ | Presidente |
| CÁTIA SOFIA JORGE LEITÃO | Examinador Externo |
| MARCELO EDUARDO VIEIRA SEGATTO | Examinador Interno |
| MARIA JOSE PONTES | Coorientador |
Summary: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, representing a significant challenge for global public health. Among the most prevalent conditions are hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and diabetes, which often result in increased arterial stiffness. Arterial stiffness is one of the main indicators of cardiovascular dysfunction, as it is associated with aging and risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes, compromising the elasticity of the arteries and increasing the workload on the heart. Early and continuous assessment of arterial stiffness is essential to prevent the progression of these diseases and their complications, such as myocardial infarction and stroke. This work explores the use of plastic optical fiber-based intensity sensors for monitoring the cardiac pulse and measuring pulse wave velocity. The aim of the
study was to develop and validate a sensor capable of detecting the pulse wave in the carotid artery and calculating the pulse wave velocity locally. Specifically, the project employed low-cost solutions based on 3D printing to manufacture the probe tips and encapsulate the optical and electronic devices responsible for measurement and data acquisition in a non-invasive manner. The sensor was developed in such a way that the movement variation caused by the passage of blood flow could be detected through the variation in light power at the fiber tip when positioned over the carotid artery. Experimental results confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed sensor in accurately detecting the cardiac pulse wave. Initial validation of the probe tips showed a root mean square deviation between the detected waves and the reference wave ranging from 0.0110 to 0.0196, demonstrating the sensors' ability to faithfully reproduce the mechanical pulses. Tests conducted on a healthy individual showed that the sensor successfully captured the pulse signals with a propagation velocity of 6.48 m/s, within the expected range for the participant's age group. In the validation protocol, conducted in the i3N laboratory at the University of Aveiro, the sensors showed good performance in detecting the variation in the cardiac pulse under different blood pressure conditions (70, 80, and 90 mmHg), with determination coefficients (r2) greater than 0.95, indicating a strong relationship between the detection delay and the distance between the sensors. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed sensor for accurate monitoring of the cardiac pulse in various contexts.
