New Blood Pressure-Based Method Predicts Critical Patient Outcomes

In a ground-breaking revelation, a novel technique has emerged to predict health outcomes for critically ill patients experiencing circulatory shock. These patients, grappling with compromised heart function leading to inadequate blood and oxygen circulation due to factors like heart failure, sepsis, or bleeding, are often in dire need of close monitoring and tailored treatment. This innovative approach, the brainchild of a collaborative effort between Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and MIT, could significantly revolutionize the management of these cases, potentially reducing mortality rates and improving overall health prospects. The breakthrough findings have been documented in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine.

The crux of this development revolves around the measurement of a vital circulatory parameter called critical closure pressure. This pressure delineates the point at which minute blood capillaries collapse, halting blood flow. Despite its potential to indicate blood vessel responsiveness in the face of disease and treatment, critical closure pressure has remained largely unexplored in clinical contexts. This study embarked on a journey of innovation by harnessing high-resolution waveform data obtained from blood pressure monitoring of over 5,500 patients housed in the cardiac intensive care unit at MGH.

Researchers ingeniously devised an analysis based on various measurable parameters, encompassing arterial pressure, pulse pressure, and heart rate, to accurately define critical closure pressure. Intriguingly, they then introduced a novel parameter known as tissue perfusion pressure, calculated as the disparity between average arterial blood pressure and critical closure pressure. Astonishingly, this tissue perfusion pressure turned out to be an exceptional predictor of critical health outcomes for patients – gauging the risk of mortality, length of hospital stay, and the peak level of blood lactate, an indicator of tissue oxygenation.

In the words of the study’s senior author, Aaron Aguirre, MD, PhD, a distinguished cardiologist and critical care expert at MGH, as well as an assistant professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, “When treating patients with circulatory shock, it is essential to maintain adequate blood pressure targets, yet standard goals are not personalised to individual patients. We have developed a new metric that can identify individuals with inadequate tissue perfusion who are at risk for adverse outcomes. We believe this method can be used to optimise treatment decisions for patients in the intensive care unit.”