Background: The Arteriograph is a cuff-based oscillometric device for non-invasive assessment of central systolic blood pressure (cSBP), aortic augmentation index (Aix) and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV). The reproducibility of Arteriograph measurements and the agreement with SphygmoCor measurements in diabetic patients has never been assessed.

Methods: We compared Arteriograph reproducibility and agreement with SphygmoCor with data from two study populations: Study 1 (n=17/mean age 64 years/diabetes duration 9 years) was conducted in a research laboratory and Study 2 (n=19/mean age 67 years/diabetes duration 9 years) in a catheter lab. SphygmoCor PWV data was only available in study 1.

Results: Reproducibility: Mean differences (Standard deviation of the difference (SDD)) between duplicate cSBP, Aix and PWV Arteriograph measurements were −0.6 ± 6.6 mmHg (cSBP), −1.1±3.3% (Aix) and 0.1±0.5 m/s (PWV) in study 1 and −0.01±4.3 mmHg (cSBP), 1.5±3.2% (Aix) and −0.2±0.6 m/s (PWV) in study 2, all differences non-significant.

Agreement: Mean differences between SphygmoCor and Arteriograph were −14±10 mmHg (cSBP), −8±7% (Aix) and 2.4±1.8 m/s (PWV), (p<0.001 for all) in Study 1 and −5±10 mmHg, p=0.04 (cSBP) and −10±8%, p=<0.001 (Aix) in Study 2. In study 1, a significant correlation was observed between the mean and the (SphygmoCor – Arteriograph) difference for cSBP, r=−0.75, p<0.001 and for Aix, r=−0.67, p<0.001.

Conclusion: In patients with type 2 diabetes, Arteriograph data were reproducible yet the device systematically overestimated cSBP, Aix and PWV compared with the SphygmoCor. Hence, the two devices cannot be used interchangeably in patients with type 2 diabetes.