title: [Comparison between brachial blood pressures obtained by aneroid sphygmomanometer and central aortic pressures: factors affecting the measurements].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We compared brachial artery blood pressures (BP) measured by aneroid sphygmomanometer with ascending aortic blood pressures and evaluated the factors affecting the differences between the two methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 463 patients (177 women, 286 men; mean age 60+/-11 years) undergoing routine coronary angiography. Simultaneously, ascending aortic pressures were measured using a pigtail catheter and brachial artery pressures were measured from the right arm with an aneroid sphygmomanometer. Pulse pressure, fractional pulse pressure, and pulsatility index were calculated from systolic and diastolic BP values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, systolic (-3.1+/-10 mmHg) and diastolic (+3.0+/-7.1 mmHg) brachial pressures showed significant deviations from aortic pressures (p=0.001). Although systolic BP did not differ significantly in both methods for men and women, brachial diastolic BP was significantly different in women (+4.8 mmHg, p=0.0001). Brachial diastolic BP showed a greater deviation from the aortic diastolic pressure in patients > or =60 years of age (+4.5 mmHg and +1.1 mmHg, respectively; p=0.0001). Deviation of systolic BP in hypertensive patients (-4 mmHg) was greater than that in normotensives (-2.0 mmHg, p=0.04). Deviation of brachial systolic BP was highly correlated with increases in aortic systolic pressure (p=0.0001). Differences between the two methods in systolic (-5.8 mmHg, p=0.01) and diastolic (+4.2 mmHg, p=0.03) BP were significant in patients with coexisting diabetes and hypertension. Body mass index and arm circumference were not correlated with deviations between the two methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main factors (female gender, age, hypertension, diabetes) affecting BP differences between the two methods should be considered in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Meram Medicine Faculty of Selçuk University, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kayrak
authors.forename: Mehmet S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ulgen
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yazici
authors.forename: Kenan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demir
authors.forename: Yildiz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Doğan
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koç
authors.forename: Kadriye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zengin
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ari