The Differential Oscillometric Method Can Be Used for Recording Beat-to-Beat Arterial Pressure Patterns from Radial Arteries

Abstract

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of the differential oscillometric technique to record beat-to-beat mean arterial pressure patterns from radial arteries (MAPrad). MAPrad was recorded by an experimental device in 9 healthy subjects during rest, light physical exercise and local cooling. Simultaneously, the finger beat-to-beat mean arterial pressure pattern (MAPfin) and the fingertip skin blood flow by the laser Doppler flowmetry were registered. Results demonstrated that the group-averaged beat-to-beat MAPrad recordings had a high similarity to related MAPfin recordings (r=0.92; range 0.86 to 0.98). However, the dynamic radial-to-finger blood pressure difference was found to vary in some subjects as a result of intensive vasoconstriction. In further development attention should be paid to proper positioning of the local pad-type cuffs to avoid overestimation of the radial pressure.