Blood pressure acquisitions with a prototypal PPG-based device

Abstract

Few daily blood pressure measurements can allow to control different pathologies such as hypertension, thus reducing the worsening of health condition and hospitalizations. Currently, oscillometric devices are the most used, providing accurate reading; however, devices that uses this technology are not wearable and they are unlikely usable as a monitoring system during the normal daily life. In this study we present a non-invasive prototypal device based on PPG technology and a tightening system able to detect both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Specifically, the system is able to apply a controlled external pressure and to evaluate the attenuation of the PPG signal, providing the blood pressure measurements. To verify the metrological performance of the device we enrolled 12 healthy subjects and compared the measurements of the prototypal device which those provided by two trained observers through the auscultatory techniques. Results showed good accordance between paired measurements with a mean BP difference (test versus reference device) and its standard deviation of 4.87 ± 6.06 mmHg for the systolic blood pressure and 5.71 ± 7.56 mmHg for the diastolic value, and a mean absolute percentage error of 4.14 and 7.71 for systolic and diastolic pressures respectively. Although a larger sample of subjects is needed to establish the performance of the device, preliminary results showed good agreement and a potential convenient method to measure blood pressure thorough a small wearable device