Validation of the Omron HEM-907 device for blood pressure measurement

Background: The aim of this study was to validate the Omron HEM-907 blood pressure (BP) measuring device according to the international validation protocol.

Design: The international validation protocol is divided into two phases: the first phase is performed on 15 selected subjects and if the device passes this phase, 18 more subjects are selected making a total number of 33 subjects on which the final validation is performed.

Methods: For each subject, BP measurements were performed simultaneously by two trained observers using mercury sphygmomanometers alternately with the Omron HEM-907 device. In all, 99 measurements were obtained for comparison. The difference between the BP value given by the device and that obtained by the two observers (mean of the two observers) was calculated for each measure.

Results: The difference between the two observers was -1 +/- 2 mmHg for the systolic BP (SBP) and for the diastolic BP (DBP). The Omron HEM-907 passed the first phase of the validation process. For the second phase, the average differences between the device and mercury sphygmomanometer readings were -1 +/- 7 and -5 +/- 6 mmHg for SBP and DBP respectively. Readings for the HEM-907 device differed by less than 5 mmHg for 61 of the systolic readings and 52 of the diastolic readings; by less than 10 mmHg for 85 of the systolic readings and 85 of the diastolic readings; and by less than 15 mmHg for 94 of the systolic readings and 96 of the diastolic readings.

Conclusions: The Omron HEM-907 device passes the two phases of the international validation protocol.