Can pulse oximetry be used to measure systolic blood pressure?

This study evaluates the use of pulse oximetry to accurately monitor systolic arterial blood pressure in 100 healthy volunteers. Determination of arterial blood pressure using oximetry was made at the disappearance of visual display upon blood pressure cuff inflation, at the reappearance of visual display upon cuff deflation, and by averaging the two. The blood pressures obtained by pulse oximetry were compared with the arterial blood pressures obtained by Korotokoff sounds and noninvasive blood pressure equipment. Good agreement was obtained when the average of oximetry-based systolic blood pressure estimates at the disappearance and reappearance of the waveform were compared with Korotokoff sound pressures and noninvasive equipment pressures. Thus pulse oximetry can be used to measure systolic arterial blood pressure. This technique is specifically important for patients with Takayasu's syndrome (pulseless disease) where conventional techniques often fail to monitor systolic arterial blood pressure.