RETEST-RELIABILITY AND CONVERGENT VALIDITY OF NONINVASIVE BLOOD-PRESSURE DETERMINATION - ARM SPHYGMOMANOMETRY VS. PENAZ-METHOD

Blood pressure is usually determined by arm sphygmomanometry. However, this technique does not allow continuous blood pressure monitoring. O ver the last years, a technique introduced by Penaz makes it feasible to determine blood pressure noninvasively and continuously from the fi nger artery. Study on 46 normotensives showed that both methods have h igh retest-reliabilities for systolic blood pressure while for diastol ic blood pressure, arm sphygmomanometry resulted in lower reliabilitie s than the Penaz-method. Between-method-comparisons showed only small correlations. Diastolic blood pressure levels were significantly lower in the Penaz-method than in arm sphygmomanometry. In conclusion, bloo d pressure levels determined by arm sphygmomanometry and the Penaz-met hod differ systematically because of different methodologies. If blood pressure or blood pressure changes are determined, the method and the circumstances of its application need to be carefully reported.