title: Comparison of mercury and aneroid blood pressure measurements in youth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Because of concerns about the safety and environmental impact of mercury, aneroid sphygmomanometers have replaced mercury-filled devices for blood pressure (BP) measurements. Despite this change, few studies have compared BP measurements between the 2 devices.
  
  
  METHODS
  The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study conducted a comparison of aneroid and mercury devices among 193 youth with diabetes (48% boys, aged 12.9 ± 3.7 years; 89% type 1). Statistical analyses included estimating Pearson correlation coefficients, Bland-Altman plots, paired t tests, and fitting regression models, both overall and stratified by age (<10 vs ≥10-18 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean mercury and aneroid systolic and diastolic BPs were highly correlated. For the entire group, there was no significant difference in mean systolic BP using the aneroid device, but there was a -1.53 ± 5.06 mm Hg difference in mean diastolic BP. When stratified by age, a lower diastolic BP (-1.78 ± 5.2 mm Hg) was seen in those ≥10 to 18 years using the aneroid device. No differences in systolic BP were observed, and there were no differences in BP by device in individuals <10 years. Regression analyses did not identify any explanatory variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although a small discrepancy between diastolic BP measurements from aneroid versus mercury devices exists, this variation is unlikely to be clinically significant, suggesting that either device could be used in research or clinical settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA. amy.shah@cchmc.org
authors.forename: Amy S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Lawrence M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.forename: Ralph B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Standiford
authors.forename: Cralen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Testaverde
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pihoker
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Elaine M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Urbina
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007318:Inservice Training; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D019722:Sphygmomanometers
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury