Background and Objective: Estimated central blood pressure is a non-invasive outcome regarded as a prognostic marker of cardiovascular disease. Reference values have been calculated previously in specific populations, for example, in 5,648 healthy subjects from East Anglia and Cardiff in the ACCT study (Hypertension 2008;51;1476–1482). These values are useful not only for assessing flow properties, but for study design in investigating treatments or adverse events longitudinally. This study aimed to establish reference values for a worldwide general population, increasing the flexibility of their use.

Methods: Existing data from individual studies were combined, comprising of central pressure data from clinical trials and population surveys, whether published or not. Main inclusion criteria were that these studies used validated methods of applanation tonometry or distension measurement and could provide a minimum pre-defined set of variables and information on the individual study.

Results: Data of 63,107 subjects were gathered from 52 centres in total and values standardised across different study methods. Of these subjects, 29,882 were declared as healthy and valid for analysis (median (IQR) age = 53 (40.5 to 63) years, 15,290 being female (51%) with median (IQR) SBP = 108 (103 to 115) mmHg. Reference ranges were calculated for these subjects, stratified by age, sex and peripheral pressure. This analysis was repeated for the 18,524 valid non-healthy subjects, by established disease-groups.

Conclusions: Average central pressures per subject-characteristic group were provided, as well as disease-type, across a very broad population with an increased precision.

Fig 1

Map of cohorts included in this study.