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Blood Pressure Reference Values in Infants Under 1 Year of Age. Oscillometric and Auscultatory Parameters
Enrique Blanca-Jover1,2, Andrea Villanueva-Garcia1,2, Francisco Contreras-Chova1,3
1Department of Paediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
Insights
This study provides new reference values for infant blood pressure using both oscillometric and auscultatory methods. These findings offer updated guidance for assessing pediatric blood pressure in clinical practice.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Health
- Medical Measurement
Background:
- Infant blood pressure assessment is understudied, lacking current reference standards.
- Existing oscillometric reference charts are over 30 years old.
- Auscultatory blood pressure reference values are unavailable for infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish novel oscillometric and auscultatory blood pressure reference values for infants.
- To compare blood pressure measurements between oscillometric and auscultatory methods in infants.
- To provide updated, clinically applicable data for pediatric blood pressure monitoring.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 228 healthy infants aged 14 days to 364 days.
- Obtained both auscultatory and oscillometric blood pressure readings for each infant.
- Analyzed data, dividing infants into four quarterly age groups.
Main Results:
- Significant differences were observed between oscillometric and auscultatory blood pressure readings.
- No significant differences in blood pressure measurements were found based on age, sex, or minor health conditions.
- Established new reference values for both measurement methods.
Conclusions:
- New oscillometric and auscultatory reference values for infant blood pressure are now available for clinical use.
- Auscultatory measurements are recommended for confirming blood pressure values in infants.
- The study provides essential data for routine pediatric blood pressure monitoring.
Aim:
Blood pressure values in infants are an understudied topic. It is a complex problem in routine care. We only have reference charts obtained using oscillometric devices, which are not up to date and were measured more than 30 years ago. The usual reference standard for blood pressure is the values obtained by auscultation, and there are no published reference figures for this age group.
Methods:
In our study we present the normal values of 228 healthy children, recruited in our centre, aged between 14 days and 364 days of life, with auscultatory and oscillometric values taken in each patient.
Results:
Divided into four large quarterly groups, the results obtained confirm significantly greater differences in the oscillometric figures with respect to the auscultatory ones. No significant differences were found between the same blood pressure modalities when age, sex or the finding of minor conditions were assessed in the study of the patients.
Conclusions:
Previously undescribed oscillometric and auscultatory reference values for paediatric blood pressure are available and can be applied in daily practice in infants. Auscultatory measurements should be taken into account, especially to confirm the values, as we would do if the patient's age were different.
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