Validation of A&D UA‐767 device for the self‐measurement of blood pressure

Background The validation of self‐measurement devices has been recommended. Automatic monitor A&D UA‐767 (A&D Company, Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) is well known and widely used, but not tested according to the Association for Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and British Hypertension Society (BHS) recommendations. Objective To perform a clinical validation for use by adults of the A&D UA‐767 device according to the criteria of the AAMI and a modified BHS protocol. Methods The test concerned 101 subjects (57 men and 44 women) aged 15–85 years with arm circumferences of 22–39 cm, a systolic blood pressure (SBP) range of 89–206 mmHg, and a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) range of 53–122 mmHg. For each subject, three readings of the UA‐767 were compared with simultaneous auscultatory measurements by two trained independent observers who used a mercury manometer and dual stethoscope. The results were graded according to the BHS (1990 and 1993) and AAMI recommendations. Results Observers showed close agreement, with mean differences of 1.1 ± 2.4 mmHg for SBP and −0.7 ± 2.0 mmHg for DBP. The proportion of values agreeing to within 5, 10 and 15 mmHg were 93, 100, and 100% for SBP and 97, 100, and 100% for DBP for the two observers. The sphygmomanometer measurements were 132 ± 24/79 ± 14 mmHg (mean ± SD). The average difference between the mercury sphygmomanometer and A&D UA‐767 readings for SBP and DBP were, respectively, −0.4 ± 5.4 and –0.4 ± 4.8 mmHg. The proportion of values agreeing to within 5,10, and 15 mmHg were 82, 94, and 98% for SBP and 80, 95, and 98% for DBP for the observers and device (A/A grade for BHS). Conclusions For an adult population, the A&D UA‐767 device for the self‐measurement of blood pressure satisfied the AAMI criteria, achieved a BHS grade of A/A and can therefore be recommended for monitoring blood pressure in home and clinical conditions by patients with mild‐to‐moderate arterial hypertension.