Characterization of lung-to-finger circulation time in sleep study assessment: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Lung-to-finger circulation time (LFCT) measured from sleep studies may reflect underlying cardiac dysfunction. We aimed to examine the distribution of LFCT in community-dwelling men and women in order to better understand the factors determining LFCT between and within subjects. We included participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Sleep with polysomnography-based evidence of sleep apnea (defined by apnea hypopnea index >15 hr In a subset of the cohort (N = 39) there was a high correlation in average LFCT obtained by automated and visual methods (r = 0.96). In the analysis of 596 participants, men [19.6 (2.8)] (vs. women [17.9 (2.7) s], p < 0.0001) and older age (> 69 (vs. ≤ 69) had longer average LFCT (19.4 [2.8] vs. 18.5 [2.9] s, p < 0.0001). These associations persisted in multivariable analysis. No association was found with body habitus. Within subject analysis revealed trivial associations between apnea/hypopnea duration, apnea (vs. hypopnea), nadir O Automated LFCT measurement was highly correlated with visual-based LFCT measurement. In this group of community-dwelling adults, male sex and older age were associated with higher average LFCT.