Oscillometry Overestimates Blood Pressure in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

Three times as many children were identified as having systolic hypertension by oscillometry than by auscultation.

Auscultation is recommended as the best method for obtaining blood pressure (BP; JW Pediatr Adolesc Med Nov 8 2004), but more-convenient oscillometry is frequently used. Researchers compared these two methods using paired BP readings, each taken after 5 minutes of rest, in 235 children (median age, 12 years) who had chronic kidney disease (glomerular filtration rate, 30–90 mL/minute/1.73 m²).

Mean BP readings were significantly higher with oscillometry than with auscultation: by 9 mm Hg for systolic BP and by 6 mm Hg for diastolic BP. Auscultation classified 9% of children as having systolic hypertension, 13% as prehypertensive, and 78% as normotensive; corresponding percentages for oscillometry were 30%, 17%, and 53%, respectively. Similar …

Reviewing Author

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

Oscillometry Overestimates Blood Pressure in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease

Topics

Reviewing Author