Validation of the Artsana CSI 610 automated blood pressure monitor in adults according to the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that blood pressure measurement outside the doctor's office can provide valuable information for the diagnostic evaluation of hypertensive patients and for monitoring their response to treatment. Home blood pressure monitoring devices have a major role in this setting, provided that their accuracy in measuring blood pressure is demonstrated by validation studies. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at verifying whether the automatic electronic oscillometric blood pressure measuring device Artsana CSI 610 complied with the standard of accuracy indicated by the ESH International Protocol. METHODS: Sequential measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were obtained in 33 participants using the mercury sphygmomanometer (two observers) and the test device (one supervisor). A standard adult cuff was always employed during the study. According to the ESH validation protocol, 99 couples of test device and reference blood pressure measurements were obtained during the two phases of the study (three pairs for each of the 33 participants). RESULTS: The Artsana CSI 610 device successfully passed phase 1 of study validation with the number of absolute differences between test and reference device never <35 within 5 mmHg and never <40 within 10 and 15 mmHg. The test device also passed phase 2 of the validation study with a mean (+/-SD) device-observer difference of -1.4+/-4.8 mmHg for systolic and -0.9+/-3.5 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of the validation study on the basis of the ESH International Protocol, the Artsana CSI 610 can be recommended for clinical use in adults.

[Management of stroke in a ward of internal medicine. Limits and prospects]. / La gestione dell'ictus in un reparto di Medicina Interna. Limiti e prospettive.

Precocious admission to specifically "dedicated" wards proved to improve reduction of mortality and degree of residual disability in patients with stroke, even if their inhomogeneous distribution gets most patients admitted to wards of Internal Medicine. We purposed to evaluate the importance of this problem, to check adhesion to the national guidelines and to show the main problems in management of patients with stroke in the Operative Unit of Internal Medicine, Vascular and Metabolic Diseases of the IRCCS S. Matteo Hospital of Pavia. 143 patients with stroke were admitted in 2001, 126 were ischemic, 17 hemorragic; the mean age was of 73. The most frequent risk factors were hypertension, diabetes, smoke and atrial fibrillation. 59% of patients were admitted within 6 hours from onset of symptoms. Within the ischemic subtypes, 17.5% were atherotrombothic, 16.7% cardioembolic, 23.8% lacunar and 42% with undetermined etiology. Lacunar syndromes were the most part. 80% of patients underwent computed tomography, 50% underwent epiaortic Doppler sonography, 38% echocardiography. 61% of ischemic subtypes underwent acute antiplatelet treatment. Complications were prevalent in oldest patients. Mortality of inpatients was 17%, influenced by age, hypertension, severe sensorial compromission at admission, cardioembolism and complications. This study proved leak of adhesion to national guidelines which brought to inadequate accuracy in diagnosis and difficulty in making correct and coherent therapeutic choices. At least in great hospitals, "dedicated" areas in wards of Internal Medicine with selected, trained and motivated staff should be desirable.