[New algorithm for oscillometric noninvasive automatic arterial pressure measurement in patients with atrial fibrillation].

Oscillometric noninvasive arterial pressure monitoring devices frequently fail to measure pressure precisely in patients with arrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation, because beat-by-beat changes in pulse pressure and mean pressure level distort the relation between cuff pressure and oscillometric wave amplitude. To overcome this problem, we developed a new algorithm for oscillometric measurement in which oscillometric wave amplitude is corrected according to changes in pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure level. In 7 patients with atrial fibrillation, we compared systolic pressure thus estimated with that simultaneously measured invasively in the radial artery and averaged during oscillometric measurement. Correction based on invasively obtained beat-by-beat pulse pressure and mean pressure level decreased the ratio of unmeasurable cases from 11 to 4%. Correction based on plethysmographically estimated pulse pressure decreased unmeasurable cases to 6% (P < 0.01). Standard error of systolic pressure estimates was 6.44 +/- 1.83, 4.10 +/- 0.85, and 4.75 +/- 1.26 mmHg with no, invasive, and plethysmographical correction in this order (P < 0.01). We conclude that oscillometric wave amplitude correction based on beat-by-beat pulse pressure and mean arterial pressure level lessened the number of unmeasurable cases and improved measurement precision in patients with atrial fibrillation.