ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

International Angiology 2010 October;29(5):426-30

Copyright © 2010 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Comparison of three portable instruments to measure compression pressure

Mosti G. ¹, Partsch H. ² ✉

¹ Private practicioner, Vienna, Austria 2 Barbantini Clinic, Lucca, Italy

AIM: Measurement of interface pressure between the skin and a compression device has gained practical importance not only for characterizing the efficacy of different compression products in physiological and clinical studies but also for the training of medical staff.
METHODS: A newly developed portable pneumatic pressure transducer (Picopress®) was compared with two established systems (Kikuhime® and SIGaT tester®) measuring linearity, variability and accuracy on a cylindrical model using a stepwise inflated sphygmomanometer as the reference. In addition the variation coefficients were measured by applying the transducers repeatedly under a blood pressure cuff on the distal lower leg of a healthy human subject with stepwise inflation.
RESULTS: In the pressure range between 10 and 80 mmHg all three devices showed a linear association compared with the sphygmomanometer values (Pearson r>0.99). The best reproducibility (variation coefficients between 1.05-7.4%) and the highest degree of accuracy demonstrated by Bland-Altman plots was achieved with the Picopress® transducer. Repeated measurements of pressure in a human leg revealed average variation coefficients for the three devices of 4.17% (Kikuhime®), 8.52% (SIGaT®) and 2.79% (Picopress®).
CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the Picopress® transducer, which also allows dynamic pressure tracing in connection with a software program and which may be left under a bandage for several days, is a reliable instrument for measuring the pressure under a compression device.