title: Validation of four automatic devices for self-measurement of blood pressure according to the International Protocol: the Pic Indolor Personal Check, Comfort Check, My Check and Travel Check.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Four oscillometric devices for self-measurement of blood pressure (SBPM) were evaluated according to the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) in four separate studies. The Pic Indolor Personal Check, Comfort Check and My Check measure blood pressure (BP) at the brachial level; the Travel Check measures radial BP at the wrist level.
  
  
  METHODS
  The International Protocol includes a total number of 33 subjects. In each study and for each subject, four BP measurements were performed simultaneously by two observers using mercury sphygmomanometers alternately with three measurements by the tested device. The difference between the observers and the device BP values (99 pairs) were classified into three categories (< or =5, < or =10, < or =15 mmHg).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All four tested devices passed the validation process. The mean differences between the device and mercury readings were 0.1 +/- 2.9 and -0.1 +/- 3.8 mmHg for systolic and diastolic BP respectively for the Personal Check; -1.0 +/- 3.7 and 0.2 +/- 3.2 mmHg for the Comfort Check; -0.6 +/- 4.5 and -1.5 +/- 4.3 mmHg for the My Check; -0.1 +/- 2.0 and 0.6 +/- 1.7 mmHg for the Travel Check.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Readings of the Pic Indolor Personal Check, Comfort Check, My Check and Travel Check devices differing by less than 5, 10 and 15 mmHg fulfill the International Protocol requirements and therefore can be used by patients for SBPM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, University La Sapienza Rome, Italy. ncgerman@tin.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Germano
authors.forename: Angelos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Psimenos
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sarullo
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Venditti
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pecchioli
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asmar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity