Sex Differences in BP From an Automated Oscillometric Compared With Manual Device.

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Medical Device Accuracy
• Public Health

Background:

• Automated blood pressure (BP) devices may exhibit differential accuracy between sexes.
• Previous research indicates potential disparities, necessitating focused investigation.
• Cuff size and body composition are critical factors influencing BP measurement accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sex differences in automated BP device accuracy compared to manual BP.
• To examine the impact of varying cuff sizes on automated BP measurements.
• To assess the association between adiposity measures and automated BP accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017-2018).
• Compared automated (Omron HEM-907XL) and manual BP measurements in a random subsample.
• Employed anthropometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for body size and composition analysis.

Main Results:

• Females showed greater underestimation of systolic BP (SBP) with larger cuffs compared to males.
• Automated SBP underestimation with extra-large cuffs correlated with increased adiposity in both sexes.
• Agreement between automated and manual BP for hypertension classification was moderate with standard cuffs but weak with extra-large cuffs.

Conclusions:

• Automated BP devices, particularly with larger cuffs, can underestimate SBP, with accuracy linked to adiposity.
• Discrepancies in automated BP accuracy may contribute to healthcare inequities for females and males.
• Further research is essential to address the implications of automated BP device accuracy on patient care.