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Performance of oscillometric blood pressure devices in children in resource-poor settings

Juan Jaime Miranda1, Sanja Stanojevic, Antonio Bernabe-Ortiz

  • 1London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK. jaime.miranda@lshtm.ac.uk

European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation : Official Journal of the European Society of Cardiology, Working Groups on Epidemiology & Prevention and Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology
|June 6, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Automated blood pressure devices show poor agreement with mercury sphygmomanometry in children, often overestimating systolic readings. Their use in pediatric blood pressure measurement is not recommended due to these limitations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric cardiology
  • Biomedical engineering
  • Clinical diagnostics

Background:

  • Accurate blood pressure measurement is crucial for pediatric health monitoring.
  • Mercury sphygmomanometry is a traditional standard, but concerns exist regarding its use.
  • Oscillometric devices offer a potentially more convenient alternative for blood pressure monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the accuracy and agreement of oscillometric blood pressure devices compared to mercury sphygmomanometry in pediatric populations.
  • To determine the reliability of automated devices for measuring blood pressure in children.

Main Methods:

  • Simultaneous blood pressure measurements were taken using a mercury sphygmomanometer and two different oscillometric devices.
  • Statistical analysis included correlation and agreement assessments (e.g., Bland-Altman plots) between the devices.
  • The study cohort comprised pediatric patients requiring blood pressure monitoring.

Main Results:

  • A poor correlation and wide limits of agreement were observed between oscillometric devices and mercury sphygmomanometry in children.
  • Oscillometric devices tended to overestimate systolic blood pressure, particularly in children with higher blood pressure readings.
  • Significant discrepancies were found, questioning the interchangeability of the devices in this age group.

Conclusions:

  • The current generation of automated oscillometric blood pressure devices has significant limitations for use in children.
  • These devices cannot be reliably recommended as a substitute for mercury sphygmomanometry in pediatric blood pressure assessment.
  • Further research and device development are needed to improve accuracy for pediatric applications.
Abstract

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