Abstract
The present study aims to develop and validate a cuffless method for blood pressure continuous measurement through a wearable device. The goal is achieved according to the time-delay method, with the guiding principle of the time relation it takes for a blood volume to travel from the heart to a peripheral site. Inversely proportional to the blood pressure, this time relation is obtained as the time occurring between the R peak of the electrocardiographic signal and a marker point on the photoplethysmographic wave. Such physiological signals are recorded by using L.I.F.E. Italia’s wearable device, made of a sensorized shirt and wristband. A linear regression model is implemented to estimate the corresponding blood pressure variations from the obtained time-delay and other features of the photoplethysmographic wave. Then, according to the international standards, the model performance is assessed, comparing the estimates with the measurements provided by a certified digital sphygmomanometer. According to the standards, the results obtained during this study are notable, with 85% of the errors lower than 10 mmHg and a mean absolute error lower than 7 mmHg. In conclusion, this study suggests a time-delay method for continuous blood pressure estimates with good performance, compared with a reference device based on the oscillometric technique.
Highlights
Received: 6 October 2021Accepted: 31 October 2021Published: 4 November 2021Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity
The devices currently employed for HBPM and ABPM usually implement the oscillometric method, which involves an inflatable cuff during the measurement
This study aimed to develop and validate a non-invasive blood pressure measurement technique that provides continuous blood pressure estimations with a cuffless method
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity. It is generally defined according to doctor’s office blood pressure measurements (OBPM) that may not reflect true blood pressure (BP) levels and do not consider diurnal and nocturnal variations. Thanks to the technological development, BP is becoming more and more non-invasively measured by the patient at home (HBPM) or automatically over 24 h (ABPM) [1]. The devices currently employed for HBPM and ABPM usually implement the oscillometric method, which involves an inflatable cuff during the measurement.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call