Assessment of central haemomodynamics from a brachial cuff in a community setting

One-off peripheral and central haemodynamic (systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) and pulse pressure) and wave reflection parameters (augmentation pressure (AP) and index, AIx) were obtained from 1,903 volunteers in an Austrian community setting using a transfer-function like method (ARCSolver algorithm) and from waveforms recorded with a regular oscillometric cuff. We assessed these parameters for known differences and associations according to gender and age deciles from <30？years to >80？years in the whole population and a subset with a systolic BP？<？140？mmHg.We obtained 1,793 measures of peripheral and central BP, PP and augmentation parameters. Age and gender associations with central haemodynamic and augmentation parameters reflected those previously established from reference standard non-invasive techniques under specialised settings. Findings were the same for patients with a systolic BP below 140？mmHg (i.e. normotensive). Lower values for AIx in the current study are possibly due to differences in sampling rates, detection frequency and/or averaging procedures and to lower numbers of volunteers in younger age groups.A novel transfer-function like algorithm, using brachial cuff-based waveform recordings, provides robust and feasible estimates of central systolic pressure and augmentation in community-based settings.