Centron cBP301 (Centron Diagnostics, UK) is a new cuff-based central blood pressure meter.

It estimates central systolic pressure (cSBP) from the oscillometric brachial cuff waveforms with a specific generalized transfer function [1]. To date, there is no specific international protocol to validate non-invasive central pressure measurements. So we modified the internationally recognized ESH-IP2010 protocol for electronic arm cuff-based device to validate the Centron cBP301[2]. We used SphygmoCor (AtCor, Australia) as reference.

Radial tonometric SphygmoCor measurements were done 4 times alternated with 3 Centron cBP301 measurements. Each Centron recordings were compared with the most favorable SphygmoCor recordings done immediately before or after and calibrated with Centron peripheral SBP and DBP measurements.

40 subjects (25 men, 15 women) from the Centre de Diagnostic et de Thérapeutique (Hotel-Dieu, Paris) were recruited. Seventeen had a peripheral DBP ≤79 mmHg, 17 between 80–100mmHg and 6 with a DBP ≥101 mmHg. Eleven had a peripheral SBP ≤129 mmHg, 16 between 130 and 160mmHg and 13 with SBP≥161mmHg. Central SBP varied between 86 and 176 mmHg (mean±SD: 131±23). Mean heart rate was 70 ±16 bpm. Mean error on central SPB was 0.91±3.10 mmHg with 87.5% of the measurements falling within 5mmHg and 100% within 10mmHg.

Despite the fact that 4 subjects with DBP above 101 mmHg are missing for the accomplishment of the ESH-IP BP recruitment criteria, the Centron cBP301 device fulfills the pass criteria for estimating central SBP.