Validation of the new Complior sensor to record pressure signals non-invasively

The Complior device (Alam Medical, France) has contributed to the rise of arterial stiffness as a measure of cardiovascular risk. In its latest version (Complior Analyse) the sensor records pressure instead of distension waveforms thus allowing the measurement of central pressure and pulse wave analysis. The aim of our study was to verify that the new sensor measures pressure waveforms accurately in both time and frequency domain. Invasive and non-invasive signals were recorded simultaneously at the radial artery and compared in the frequency and time domain in haemodynamically stable intensive care unit patients. Twelve patients entered the study (8 men, 4 women, mean age 69 +/- A 17 years). Heart rate was 90 +/- A 15 bpm, systolic blood pressure 133 +/- A 19 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure 68 +/- A 15 mmHg. There was no statistical difference in the amplitude of harmonics between the invasive signal and Complior signal. When superimposing waveforms in the time domain, there was a small difference in the form factor (4.2 +/- A 2.8 %) and in the absolute area between the 2 waveforms (3.3 +/- A 1.7 mmHg center dot s(-1)). These differences were of the same magnitude as the beat-to-beat variation of the form factor (3.3 %) and of the absolute area (3.1 mmHg center dot s(-1)), respectively. The second systolic peak was detectable in 4 subjects, with no statistical difference between invasive and non-invasive values. The new pressure sensor of the Complior Analyse device recorded pressure waveforms accurately and could be used to perform pressure wave analysis.