Validation of a new non-invasive blood pressure measurement method on mice via pulse wave propagation time measurement on a cuff

Atila Mejía,Xuan P Nguyen,Ralf Kronemayer,Xuan D Nguyen,Zamira Daw,Bettina Kränzlin,Norbert Gretz,Peter Herrmann

doi:10.1515/bmt.2011.013

Abstract

In the present article, we describe the validation of a new non-invasive method for measuring blood pressure (BP) which also enables to determine the three BP values: systolic, diastolic and mean value. Our method is based on the pulse transit time (PTT) measurement along an artery directly at the BP cuff. The accuracy of this method was evaluated by comparison with the direct simultaneous measurement of blood pressure from 40 anesthetized female mice. Close correlation between the gained data from these two methods was observed.

Highlights

Mice as laboratory test animals play a significant and vital role in the medical research conducted
We describe the validation of a new non-invasive method for measuring blood pressure (BP) which enables to determine the three BP values: systolic, diastolic and mean value
Our method is based on the pulse transit time (PTT) measurement along an artery directly at the BP cuff

Summary

Introduction

Mice as laboratory test animals play a significant and vital role in the medical research conducted. Various methods of indirect measurement of arterial blood pressure in mice have been described w2, 3, 7, 14, 16x In most of these methods, blood pulse or blood volume variations corresponding to the systolic end point are detected. An alternative for monitoring the blood pressure with the passive non-invasive method is available with PTT measurements. This technique has found limited use due to inherent drawbacks in the existing technology. We describe a novel blood pressure monitor based on pulse wave velocity. This monitor consists of two photoplethysmography sensors in line. The importance of the three measurements is that the systolic and diastolic pressure represents the healthy state of the heart and the arteries, while the mean pressure shows the physiological characteristics of the left ventricular contractility, vascular resistance and elasticity averaged over time w6x

Methods

D D P1 G G

Experiments with the mice

Results

Discussion