Validation of the ROSSMAX blood pressure measuring monitor according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol for Validation of Blood Pressure Measuring Devices in Adults

BACKGROUND: It is now accepted that blood pressure measuring devices should be subjected to an independent evaluation of their accuracy before they are marketed for clinical use. The results of validation of the ROSSMAX Blood Pressure Measuring Monitor for self-measurement according to the European Society of Hypertension International Protocol for Validation of Blood Pressure Measuring Devices in Adults are presented in this paper. POPULATION: Thirty-three subjects were recruited from among staff and patients at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. METHODS: The ROSSMAX monitor was connected to the Sphygmocorder, an audiovisual system for validation, which records blood pressure on tape and video for later analysis. Nine sequential same-arm measurements between the device and a standard mercury sphygmomanometer were recorded using the Sphygmocorder. RESULTS: In phase 1, the ROSSMAX monitor produced 21 measurements within 5 mmHg, 31 within 10 mmHg and 38 within 15 mmHg for systolic blood pressure (SBP), and 36 within 5 mmHg, 43 within 10 mmHg and 45 within 15 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure (DBP). The mean differences were -5.6 (10.2) [mean (SD)] mmHg for SBP and -0.5 (4.5) mmHg for DBP. The ROSSMAX monitor failed to meet any of the criteria for SBP but comfortably passed all of the criteria for DBP. In phase 2.1, the ROSSMAX monitor had 51 measurements within 5 mmHg, 73 within 10 mmHg and 86 within 15 mmHg for SBP, and 71 measurements within 5 mmHg, 93 within 10 mmHg and 98 within 15 mmHg for DBP. The mean differences were -4.5. (9.5) mmHg for SBP and -1.8 (5.0) mmHg for DBP. The ROSSMAX monitor failed to meet any of the criteria for SBP but comfortably passed all of the criteria for DBP. In phase 2.2, 16 subjects had at least two of the differences lying within 5 mmHg and 10 subjects had no differences within 5 mmHg for SBP; 26 subjects had at least two of the differences falling within 5 mmHg and three subjects no differences within 5 mmHg for DBP. The ROSSMAX monitor failed to meet the criteria for SBP but passed the criteria for DBP. CONCLUSIONS: The ROSSMAX monitor cannot be recommended for clinical use in an adult population because it records SBP inaccurately.