Comparison of the arterial blood pressure of the arm, forearm, and ankle of smokers under general anesthesia

Abstract

Arterial blood pressure (ABP) measurement of forearm and ankle have been suggested as an alternative site to measure blood pressures when the upper arm is unavailable. However, there is little evidence utilizing clinical populations to support this topic. The simultaneous measurement method is used for the left upper arm, forearm, and ankle blood pressures. Participants were eligible if they were aged 18 years or older, were able to consent, and able to have blood pressures measured on their left arm while lying at a 45° angle. The independent sample t-test method of statistical analysis was used, for the systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure defined. The ankle measure overestimated systolic (mean difference 10.8 mmHg, 95% limits of agreement ±12.9 mmHg), diastolic (mean difference 14.7 mmHg, 95% limits of agreement ±8.4 mmHg), and mean arterial pressures (mean difference 13.0 mmHg, 95% limits of agreement ±8.9 mmHg). The systolic, mean and diastolic measure were no significantly different between smokers and nonsmokers groups. ABP disparity was associated with groups. In the study, ABP measurements from the arm which is a standard method with forearm and ankle ABP measurements; no differences were observed when comparing the groups that are smokers and non-smokers.