Comparison of the automated non-invasive oscillometric blood pressure monitor (BpTRU) with the auscultatory mercury sphygmomanometer in a paediatric population

BACKGROUND: To directly compare the accuracy of the BpTRU (an automated oscillometric blood pressure device) with standard auscultatory mercury sphygmomanometry in a pediatric population. DESIGN: The BpTRU was connected in parallel with a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. Two observers measured the blood pressures at the same time as it was being measured by the BpTRU. The observers and the BpTRU were all blinded from each other. METHODS: For each of the demographic data--subject age, sex and arm sizes--the mean, standard deviation (SD) and range was calculated. The difference between the mean BpTRU and the standard reference measurements (observer average) was calculated with SD and ranges. The percentage of measurements within 5, 10 and 15 mmHg agreement was expressed. RESULTS: From the 36 subjects recruited aged 3-18 years, 162 pairs of sitting blood pressures were included. The difference between the mean BpTRU readings and the reference standard measurements (as determined by the observers) was 1.45+/-5.67 mmHg for systolic blood pressures, and -3.24+/-7.39 mmHg for diastolic pressure and 0.20+/-2.47 bpm for heart rate. CONCLUSION: The BpTRU is of similar accuracy in measuring blood pressure in children as it was in an adult population.