Background: An accurate, quantifiable assessment of hand grip strength (HGS) can predict overall strength and health with a good predictor for identifying populations at higher risk for any medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, neuromuscular diseases and stroke that helps clinicians establish realistic treatment goals and provides treatment outcome data. The purpose of the study is to determine the percentile scores of HGS of healthy adult individuals of various age groups using Jamar dynamometer and modified sphygmomanometer. Methods: This descriptive study measures HGS using Jamar dynamometer and modified sphygmomanometer obtained from one hundred twenty healthy participants 20 years old and above. Comparative analyses of the 2 apparatuses were conducted using One-Way ANOVA. The reference intervals at different percentiles were calculated using the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Results: Grip strength (GS) using Jamar dynamometer (JD) and modified sphygmomanometer (MS) among younger (20- 29 years old) participants, the 50th percentile (Q2) JD score was 28.29 kg with an equivalent MS score of 161.38 mmHg, were significantly higher compared to those across older age groups especially among the ≥70 years old with a JD Q2 score of 16.74 kg and MS Q2 score of 101.33 mmHg. These findings suggest that HGS decreases with increasing age. Conclusion Scores obtained from this study can serve as preliminary baseline values or guide for interpreting GS measurements.
Hand Strength ; Sphygmomanometers

BACKGROUND: To investigate the possibie difference, if any, between office blood pressure(BP) and home BP may be important in the diagnosis and treatment of hypersensive patients. This report deails the difference between the two BP's and the usefulness of digital electronic sphygmomanometer(DES) for self-monitoring of home BP. METHODS: The BP's of 14 patients with essential hypertension were measured with mercury sphygmomanometers at outpatient department by physician and with DES at home(twice a day) by the patients. Patients were followed up every 2 weeks for 4 weeks and previous 2 weeks' average home BP's were compared with the office BP's of each 2 weeks' end. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between office and home BP(both systolic and diastolic) ; office average BP(151/95mmHg) was higher than home average BP(136/86mmHg). CONCLUSION: Caution may be needed in the interpretation of office BP unless it is measured several times after adequate rest.
Blood Pressure* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Outpatients ; Sphygmomanometers*

Since clinical significance of blood pressure level in childhood has been known, a several studies for the purpose of establishing normal blood pressure referece values in Korean school-aged children were performed. The author of this article measured normal blood pressure values for children in an elementary school, and two middle schools of Korean rural area using mercury sphygmomanometer. The results were as follows: 1) Systolic and diastolic blood pressure values increased according as age and height increased. Abrupt increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure values at 11 years of age in both sexes was observed. 2) Average values of systolic/diastolic blood pressure in 6 year-old boys were 106/61 mmHg and these values increased with rates of 1.5 mmHg/yr (systolic blood pressure), 1.0 mmHg/yr (diastolic blood pressure). Similarily, the values in 6 year-old girls were 103/60 mmHg and they increased with the rate of 2.0 mmHg/yr (systolic blood pressure) and 1.5 mmHg/yr (diastolic blood pressure). 3) As the distribution of blood pressure level was observed in view of age and height reference, there were no biologically and statistically significant discrepancies in blood pressure level between boys and girls. 4) A strong positive correlationship with each parameters was observed in both sexes. 5) Blood pressure values for 50, 90, 95 percentile were presented in table and figure.
Blood Pressure* ; Child* ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Sphygmomanometers

Mercurial sphygmomanometer is widely applied to NIBP as the basic medical equipment in hospitals, but it is dangerous. With the world-wide limit of mercurial sphygmomanometers, it is inevitable that the mercurial sphygmomanometers would be eliminated. At the same time, according to the requirement of the medical staff and for the technical side of medical engineering, we should set up a claim for the mercurial sphygmomanometers' substitute products.
Blood Pressure Determination ; instrumentation ; Mercury ; Sphygmomanometers

BACKGROUND: A tracheal stenosis is caused by mucosal ischemic injury related to a high cuff pressure (Pcuff) of the endotracheal tube. In contrast, aspiration of the upper airway secretion and impaired g as exchange due to cuff leakage is related to a low Pcuff. To prevent these complications, the Pcuff should be kept appropriately because the appropriate Pcuff appears to change according to the patients' bedside. To address the necessity of continuous Pcuff monitoring, the change in the Pcuff was evaluated at various Vcuff levels on a daily basis in patients with long-term mechanical ventilation. The utility of mercury column sphygmomanometer for the continous monitoring Pcuff was also investigated. METHOD: The change in Pcuff according to the increase in Vcuff was observed in 17 patients with prolonged endotracheal intubation for mechanical ventilation for 2 week or more. This maneuver measured the change in Pcuff daily during the mechanical ventilation days. In addition, the Pcuff measured by mercury column sphygmomanometer was compared with the Pcuff measured by an automatic cuff pressure manager. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant changes of Pcuff during more than 14 days of intubation for mechanical ventilation. However the Vcuff required to maintain the appropriate Pcuff varied from 1.9cc to 9.6cc. In addition, the intra-individed variation of the Pcuff was observed from 10cmH2O to 46cmH2O at constant 3cc Vcuff. The Pcuff measured by the bedside mercury column sphymomanometer is well coincident with that measured by the automatic cuff pressure manager. CONCLUSION: Continuous monitoring and management of the Pcuff to maintain the appropriate Pcuff level in order to prevent cuff related problems during long-term mechanical ventilation is recommended. For this purpose, mercury column sphygmomanometer may replace the specific cuff pressure monitoring equipment.
Humans ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal* ; Respiration, Artificial* ; Sphygmomanometers ; Tracheal Stenosis

Several shorter-term alternatives for whole-day ambulatory monitoring of BP using Pressureometer III or standard sphygmomanometer were evaluated in 12 male hypertensive patients. Averages of BP reading at 8 AM once, consecutive 3 readings either by Pressurometer or manual, serial readings during 2-hr intervals of 8-10 AM and 2/4 PM were compared with that of 24-hr ambulatory, non-invasive BP readings. Both systolic and diastolic 2-hr Bp averages in the morning were correlated more strongly with 24-hour averages(r=0.91 and 0.91), than were those of the 3 readings(r=0.88 and 0.66) or single reading(r=0.49 and -0.35) alternatives. In conclusion, the average of serial readings obtained during 2-hr monitoring period from 8 to 10AM is a reliable predictor of 24-hr ambulatory BP and represents it more closely than the conventional single or multiple BP readings.
Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory* ; Humans ; Male ; Monitoring, Ambulatory ; Reading ; Sphygmomanometers

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis and treatment of hypertension is imperative to prevent the complications associated with this condition. The development of accurate and convenient methods of blood pressure measurement, therefore, is indispensible. At present, the JNC V has acknowledged the use of automatic sphygmomanometer that can be used without the help of someone else. We compared automatic oscillometric sphygmomanometers manufactured by Sein Electronics, korea(SE-7000 and SE-5000) with the standard Korotkoff auscultatory mercuy sphygmomanometer meter. The correlation between these two methods were calculated to determine whether these products could actually be used in clinical practice. This study was undertaken to ensure the clinical evaluation of these two products and standardization of an antomatic sphygmomanometer in korea before it is actually used. METHODS: The study included eighty-three patients, ranging in age from 14 to 81 years, who were admitted to Hanyang University Hospital in October, 1995. The blood pressure measured by the automatic oscillometric sphygmomanometer(SE-7000) in the right arm and was compared with that measured by the standard mercury sphygmomanometer(baumanometer) in the left arm. Also the blood pressure measured by the automatic oscillometric sphygmomanometer(SE-5000) at the wrist was compared by the baumanometer in the same side arm. The correlation between these methods were determined by the paired Student`s t-test and by the simple liner regression method. RESULTS: The p value of systolic blood pressure between two methods(SE-7000 and baumanometer) in the both arms was 0.896 and correlation coefficient was 0.8286. The p value of diastolic blood pressure between this two methods was 0.352 and correleation coefficient was 0.7455. The p value of systolic blood pressure between two methods(SE-5000 and baumanomter) by the arm and the wrist was 0.00018 and correlation coefficient was 0.8588, the p value of diastolic blood pressure between this two methods was 0.000048 and correlation coefficient was 0.5944. CONCLUSION: The blood pressure measured by the SE-5000 at the wrist was statistically different from that measured with the baumanometer in the arm. Further studies are necessary to use this product in clinical practice. However, the systolic and diastolic blood pressures measured with the SE-7000 in the arm were relatively similar to those measured by the baumanometer enabling this products to be effectively used in clinical practice.
Arm ; Blood Pressure ; Early Diagnosis ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Sphygmomanometers* ; Wrist

BACKGROUND: A reliable, well-validated home blood pressure(BP) self measurement device could have an important role in the management of hypertension. Rigorous assessment of such a device have not performed well, particularly in the hypertensive range. METHODS: We assessed the National EW274W device(oscillometric) for home messurem of BP according to the standards set out by the British Hypertension Society protocol and American Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation(AAMI). The device was compared with sequential measurements using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer in the same arm in 105 patients aged 16-79 years. The BP of subjects was measured three times at least a week apart. These data were analysed using Pearson's correlation and paired t-test. RESULTS: The device was highly correlated to mercury sphygmomanometer in mean systolic BP(SBP) and mean diastolic BP(DBP) (r=0.93, r=0.93, P<0.05). The device was satisfactory over the whole BP range(SBP 106-182mmHg, DBP 56-116mmHg), with a B grade for SBP and a A grade for DBP(British Hypertension Society protocol) and a PASS for both SBP and DBP(AAMI). Sensitivity and specificity are 84.2%, 93.0%(mean SBP) and 100%, 96.9% (mean DBP). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded the wrist blood pressure meter(National EW274W) for home BP measurement is highly satisfactory and is suitable for clinical use.
Arm ; Blood Pressure* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Sphygmomanometers ; Wrist*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence regarding injury and poisoning associated with the clinical mercury thermometer. METHODS: Electronic literature searches were conducted for identification of relevant studies and case reports of injury and poisoning associated with the clinical mercury thermometer. The search outcomes were limited to literature with English and Korean languages published from 1966. Studies related to occupational mercury exposure, or mercury exposure from sphygmomanometer, barometer, and fluorescent light were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 60 reports, including 59 case reports, were finally included. Of those, nine cases pertained to an intact thermometer as a foreign body, 25 injuries were related to a thermometer, and 26 cases involved exposures to mercury from a broken thermometer. Case reports were classified according to severity into 16 mild, 41 moderate, and two severe cases. Two cases of mortality were reported, one was deliberate intravenous injection of mercury and the other was acute vapor inhalation of mercury from broken thermometers. CONCLUSION: Findings of this systematic review suggested that the mercury thermometer could cause various forms of poisoning and injury. In particular, inhalation of mercury vapor from a broken thermometer can lead to systemic toxicity requiring chelating therapy.
Foreign Bodies ; Inhalation ; Injections, Intravenous ; Mortality ; Poisoning* ; Sphygmomanometers ; Thermometers*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence regarding injury and poisoning associated with the clinical mercury thermometer. METHODS: Electronic literature searches were conducted for identification of relevant studies and case reports of injury and poisoning associated with the clinical mercury thermometer. The search outcomes were limited to literature with English and Korean languages published from 1966. Studies related to occupational mercury exposure, or mercury exposure from sphygmomanometer, barometer, and fluorescent light were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 60 reports, including 59 case reports, were finally included. Of those, nine cases pertained to an intact thermometer as a foreign body, 25 injuries were related to a thermometer, and 26 cases involved exposures to mercury from a broken thermometer. Case reports were classified according to severity into 16 mild, 41 moderate, and two severe cases. Two cases of mortality were reported, one was deliberate intravenous injection of mercury and the other was acute vapor inhalation of mercury from broken thermometers. CONCLUSION: Findings of this systematic review suggested that the mercury thermometer could cause various forms of poisoning and injury. In particular, inhalation of mercury vapor from a broken thermometer can lead to systemic toxicity requiring chelating therapy.
Foreign Bodies ; Inhalation ; Injections, Intravenous ; Mortality ; Poisoning* ; Sphygmomanometers ; Thermometers*