Smartphone-Based versus Non-Invasive Automatic Oscillometric Brachial Cuff Blood Pressure Measurements: A Prospective Method Comparison Volunteer Study

Abstract

Introduction: Mobile health diagnostics have demonstrated effectiveness in detecting and managing chronic diseases. This method comparison study aims to assess the accuracy and precision of the previously evaluated OptiBP™ technology over a four-week study period. This device uses optical signals recorded by placing a patient’s fingertip on a smartphone’s camera to estimate blood pressure (BP). Methods: In adult participants without cardiac arrhythmias and minimal interarm blood pressure difference (systolic arterial pressure (SAP) Results: Among the 65 eligible volunteers, 53 participants had adequate OptiBP™ BP values. In 12 patients, no OptiBP™ BP could be measured due to inadequate signals. Only nine participants had known chronic arterial hypertension and 76% of those patients were treated. The mean bias ± SD between both technologies was −1.4 mmHg ± 10.1 mmHg for systolic arterial pressure (SAP), 0.2 mmHg ± 6.5 mmHg for diastolic arterial pressure (DAP) and −0.5 mmHg ± 6.9 mmHg for mean arterial pressure (MAP). Error grid analyses indicated that 100% of the pairs of BP measurements were located in zones A (no risk) and B (low risk). Conclusions: In a cohort of volunteers, we observed an acceptable agreement between BP values obtained with the OptiBPTM and those obtained with the reference method over a four-week period. The OptiBPTM fulfills the ISO standards for MAP and DAP (but not SAP). The error grid analyses showed that 100% measurements were located in risk zones A and B. Despite the need for some technological improvements, this application may become an important tool to measure BP in the future.

Keywords

• arterial hypertension
• mobile phone
• mobile health
• digital health
• accuracy
• precision