Central Blood Pressure Waves Assessment: A Validation Study of Non-invasive Aortic Pressure Measurement in Human Beings

Abstract

Introduction: Measurement of central (aortic) systolic blood pressure has been shown to provide reliable information to evaluate target organ damage. However, non-invasive central blood pressure measurement procedures are still under analysis. Aim: To compare human pressure waveforms invasively obtained in the aorta, with the corresponding waveforms non-invasively recorded using an oscillometric device (Mobil-O-Graph). Methods: In this research were included 20 subjects in which invasive percutaneous coronary interventions were performed. They were 10 males (68 ± 12 y. o., BMI: 27.4 ± 4.6 kg/m2) and 10 females (77 ± 8 y. o., BMI: 28.5 ± 5.3 kg/m2). During the invasive aortic pressure recording, a synchronized non-invasive Mobil-O-Graph acquisition beat by beat and reconstructed central pressure wave was performed. Both, invasive and non-invasive pressure waves were digitized and stored for subsequent analysis and calculations. A computerized interpolation procedure was developed in our laboratory to compare these pressure waves. Results: A significant correlation between Mobil-O-Graph central blood pressure measurements and the corresponding invasive values was found in males (r < 0.81; p < 0.01) and females (r < 0.93; p < 0.01). However, in both genders, the slope of the regression lines was lesser than 1 (males: y = 0.7354x + 18.998; females: y = 0.9835x + 2.8432). In the whole population (n = 20), a significant correlation between Mobil-O-Graph central blood pressure measurements and the corresponding invasive values was found (r < 0.89; p < 0.01) and the regression line was lesser than 1 (y = 0.9774x + 1.7603). Conclusions: In this research, a high correlation between invasive central blood pressure values and those measured with the Mobil-O-Graph device was found in males, females and the whole population. However, a sub estimation of Mobil-O-Graph central blood pressure values was observed.