Consistent relationship between automated office blood pressure recorded in different settings

OBJECTIVE: Conventional office blood pressure (BP) readings are affected by various factors including the presence of an observer and the setting. This study was undertaken to assess the consistency of automated self-measurement of BP in the office during repeat visits and in different settings. Automated office BP readings were also compared with the mean awake ambulatory BP. METHODS: BP readings were obtained using an automated BpTRU sphygmomanometer during routine visits to a hypertension specialist before and after 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) was performed. A third automated BP reading was obtained during the visit to the ABPM unit. RESULTS: There were no significant differences among the three automated office BP readings, which were all similar to the mean awake ambulatory BP. A manual BP reading taken by the ABPM technician was significantly higher (P<0.001) than the mean awake ambulatory BP. There was good agreement among the three automated office BP readings (intraclass correlation coefficient for systolic/diastolic BP r = 0.896/0.873). CONCLUSION: Mean automated office BP readings are consistent from visit-to-visit regardless of the setting in which they are taken and they are similar to the mean awake ambulatory BP.