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Family Practice Vol. 20, No. 6, 730-732
© Oxford University Press 2003, all rights reserved

Article

Comparison of blood pressure measurements on the bare arm, below a rolled-up sleeve, or over a sleeve

Ernesto Kahana,, John Yaphea,b, Hadas Knaani-Levinzb and Michael A. Weingartena,b

a Department of Family Medicine, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv and b Department of Family Medicine, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Petah Tiqva, Israel

Correspondence to E. Kahan, Head, Epidemiology, Department of Family Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Arazim 4/7, Kfar Saba 44456, Israel; E-mail: ekahan{at}post.tau.ac.il

Background. This study examined the effect of measuring blood pressure below subjects' rolled-up sleeves, over the sleeve, or on the bare arm. This is an important day-to-day issue for the busy GP.

Methods. The sample consisted of 201 subjects in family practice clinics and residents of a senior citizens' home. A digital device was used in all cases. Each participant underwent three blood pressure measurements in each of the following conditions in random order: cuff on bare arm; cuff over the sleeve; and cuff below the rolled-up sleeve. Differences between measurements were plotted against the mean blood pressure. Confounding factors controlled for were age, sex, clothing pressure and skin-fold thickness.

Results. Differences in mean blood pressure readings between the clothed and bare arm were 0.5 mmHg (SD 7.5) for systolic pressure and 1 mmHg (SD 5) for diastolic pressure; neither difference was significant. However, in hypertensive subjects (>140 mmHg systolic), although the mean difference remained small (systolic pressure, 2 mmHg, SD 10), the range of difference for individual subjects was -32 mmHg to +22 mmHg.

Conclusion. The degree of clothing under the sphygmomanometer cuff does not have a clinically important effect on the blood pressure measurement. In patients known or found to be hypertensive, measurement on the bare arm is recommended.

Keywords. Blood pressure, blood pressure cuff, family medicine, measurements, screening.


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This article has been cited by other articles:


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 CMAJHome page
G. Ma MD, N. Sabin MD, and M. Dawes MBBS MD
A comparison of blood pressure measurement over a sleeved arm versus a bare arm
Can. Med. Assoc. J., February 26, 2008; 178(5): 585 - 589.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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 CMAJHome page
D. W. McKay PhD
Measuring blood pressure: A call to bare arms?
Can. Med. Assoc. J., February 26, 2008; 178(5): 591 - 593.
[Full Text] [PDF]


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