Automated self-initiated blood pressure or 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in pregnancy?
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether self-initiated and recorded automated blood pressure measurement can provide an accurate estimate of ambulatory blood pressure in pregnant women suspected of having 'white coat hypertension'.


METHODS
A prospective observational study.


METHODS
Women's and Children's Health Unit, St George Hospital, a teaching hospital of the University of New South Wales.


METHODS
Pregnant women being assessed for possible 'white-coat hypertension'.


METHODS
Sixty-six pregnant women who were undergoing 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in their home or work environment also measured their blood pressure six times during this interval using a self-initiated automated blood pressure recorder (Omron HEM 705CP). Agreement between awake ABPM and Omron recorded blood pressures was tested by Bland-Altman analysis.


METHODS
Limits of agreement between blood pressures measured by each device.


RESULTS
Average blood pressures obtained by the two devices were identical (125/77 mmHg) but limits of agreement were wide, -20 to +23 mmHg for systolic blood pressure and -9 to +15 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
The Omron HEM 705CP is a useful device for measuring group average blood pressures in pregnant women suspected of having white coat hypertension but cannot reliably replace ABPM for clinical management of individual pregnant women.
Brown
M A
MA
Departments of Renal Medicine and Women's and Children's Health, St George Hospital and University of New South Wales, Kogarah, Sydney, Australia.
McHugh
L
L
Mangos
G
G
Davis
G
G
D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000592:standards*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012648:Self Care; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity