Comparison between pulse wave velocities measured using Complior and measured using Biopac

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Diagnostic Technology

Background:

• Arterial stiffness is a key prognostic indicator for cardiovascular diseases.
• Pulse wave velocity (PWV) quantifies arterial stiffness and its changes.
• Two systems, Complior and Biopac, are used to measure PWV, but their comparability is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the comparability and correlation of PWV measurements between the Complior and Biopac systems.
• To evaluate system performance under various physiological conditions (sitting, lying, standing).
• To determine if either system can reliably track changes in arterial stiffness.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-five healthy volunteers (20-30 years old) participated.
• PWV was measured sequentially in sitting, lying, standing, and sitting positions.
• Measurements were taken using both the Complior (carotid-radial) and Biopac (heart-fingertip) systems.
• Correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots were used for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• The Biopac system consistently measured significantly lower PWV values than the Complior system across all positions.
• Despite the difference in absolute values, correlation analyses and Bland-Altman plots indicated good agreement between the two systems.
• Both systems demonstrated the ability to detect changes in PWV.

Conclusions:

• The Biopac and Complior systems provide comparable measurements of PWV changes over time, provided the magnitude differences are considered.
• Either system can be utilized for monitoring arterial stiffness progression or regression.
• Caution is advised when interpreting absolute PWV values, as they are system-dependent.