Is it reliable to measure the forearm blood pressure in children?

Background: When the upper arm (UA) is inaccessible or a standard-sized blood pressure (BP) cuff is unavailable, some healthcare workers use the forearm (FA) to measure BP with a mercury sphygmomanometer. Objective: The objective was to determine the accuracy of BP measurement in the arm and FA. Des...

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Main Authors: Amar M Taksande, Aishwarya Jadhav, Jyoti Nair
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2015-01-01
Series:Journal of Family and Community Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jfcmonline.com/article.asp?issn=2230-8229;year=2015;volume=22;issue=2;spage=85;epage=87;aulast=Taksande
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author Amar M Taksande
Aishwarya Jadhav
Jyoti Nair
author_facet Amar M Taksande
Aishwarya Jadhav
Jyoti Nair
author_sort Amar M Taksande
collection DOAJ
description Background: When the upper arm (UA) is inaccessible or a standard-sized blood pressure (BP) cuff is unavailable, some healthcare workers use the forearm (FA) to measure BP with a mercury sphygmomanometer. Objective: The objective was to determine the accuracy of BP measurement in the arm and FA. Design: Prospective, randomized study. Setting: Department of Pediatrics, JNMC, Sawangi (Meghe) Participants: A total of 72 children aged 5-15 years. Measurements: Mercury and Automatic (OMRON Tokyo, 108-0075 Japan) BP measurements were recorded from the arm and FA at 2 min intervals. Results: In our study, 72 children of both sexes were enrolled. The mean age of the children was 10.13 ± 2.82 years, and 48% were females. Pearson′s correlation coefficient between FA and UA systolic BP (SBP) measured by mercury was 0.782, and for diastolic BP (DBP) it was 0.824. Similarly, Pearson′s correlation coefficient between FA and UA SBP measured with an automated device (OMRON) was 0.843, and for DBP it was 0.846. The average readings for the SBP and DBP were higher in the FA than in the UA by approximately 3 mmHg. There was a statistically significant difference in both SBP and DBP. Conclusions: The FA is an acceptable method of BP monitoring when the UA cannot be accessed. The pressure from FA is probably higher than it would be from UA.
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spelling doaj.art-b3ca6012eefd4fe585ff96f5a2136f072022-12-22T02:26:00ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Family and Community Medicine2230-82292229-340X2015-01-01222858710.4103/2230-8229.155376Is it reliable to measure the forearm blood pressure in children?Amar M TaksandeAishwarya JadhavJyoti NairBackground: When the upper arm (UA) is inaccessible or a standard-sized blood pressure (BP) cuff is unavailable, some healthcare workers use the forearm (FA) to measure BP with a mercury sphygmomanometer. Objective: The objective was to determine the accuracy of BP measurement in the arm and FA. Design: Prospective, randomized study. Setting: Department of Pediatrics, JNMC, Sawangi (Meghe) Participants: A total of 72 children aged 5-15 years. Measurements: Mercury and Automatic (OMRON Tokyo, 108-0075 Japan) BP measurements were recorded from the arm and FA at 2 min intervals. Results: In our study, 72 children of both sexes were enrolled. The mean age of the children was 10.13 ± 2.82 years, and 48% were females. Pearson′s correlation coefficient between FA and UA systolic BP (SBP) measured by mercury was 0.782, and for diastolic BP (DBP) it was 0.824. Similarly, Pearson′s correlation coefficient between FA and UA SBP measured with an automated device (OMRON) was 0.843, and for DBP it was 0.846. The average readings for the SBP and DBP were higher in the FA than in the UA by approximately 3 mmHg. There was a statistically significant difference in both SBP and DBP. Conclusions: The FA is an acceptable method of BP monitoring when the UA cannot be accessed. The pressure from FA is probably higher than it would be from UA.http://www.jfcmonline.com/article.asp?issn=2230-8229;year=2015;volume=22;issue=2;spage=85;epage=87;aulast=TaksandeBlood pressureforearmOMRONupper arm
spellingShingle Amar M Taksande
Aishwarya Jadhav
Jyoti Nair
Is it reliable to measure the forearm blood pressure in children?
Journal of Family and Community Medicine
Blood pressure
forearm
OMRON
upper arm
title Is it reliable to measure the forearm blood pressure in children?
title_full Is it reliable to measure the forearm blood pressure in children?
title_fullStr Is it reliable to measure the forearm blood pressure in children?
title_full_unstemmed Is it reliable to measure the forearm blood pressure in children?
title_short Is it reliable to measure the forearm blood pressure in children?
title_sort is it reliable to measure the forearm blood pressure in children
topic Blood pressure
forearm
OMRON
upper arm
url http://www.jfcmonline.com/article.asp?issn=2230-8229;year=2015;volume=22;issue=2;spage=85;epage=87;aulast=Taksande
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