Inter-arm blood pressure difference detected with computer-programmed blood pressure measurement:difference on the first reading and the average value of 2-3 readings

Objective: To compare the inter-arm blood pressure (BP) difference (IAD) detected from the first BP reading with that detected from the average value of 2-3 BP readings when using computer program-controlled BP measurement (CCBPM). Methods: The CCBPM was used for BP measurement during a health examination of 3，067 rural community residents. The IAD was evaluated based on the first BP reading and the average value of 2-3 BP readings, respectively. A systolic- and diastolic-IAD (sIAD or dIAD) ≥10 mm Hg was considered abnormal. Results: In the reference arm, the SBP/DBP was 136.42±19.81/81.23 ± 10.51 mm Hg in the first BP reading; while in the average reading, they were significantly lower (134.64±18.39/80.28±9.78 mm Hg, both P = 0.011). The detection rate of abnormal sIAD was 9.08% and that of abnormal dIAD was 4.74% in the first BP reading, while in the average reading, the sIAD was 5.47% and the dIAD was 2.47%. There was a difference of about 40% for sIAD. Conclusion: Even when using CCBPM, the detection rate of IAD in the first BP reading was significantly higher than that in the average value of 2-3 BP readings.