Noninvasive estimation of central blood pressure through fluid–structure interaction modeling

Central blood pressure (cBP) is considered a superior indicator of cardiovascular fitness than brachial blood pressure (bBP). Even though bBP is easy to measure noninvasively, it is usually higher than cBP due to pulse wave amplification, characterized by the gradual increase in peak systolic pressure during pulse wave propagation. In this study, we aim to develop an individualized transfer function that can accurately estimate cBP from bBP. We first construct a three-dimensional, patient-specific model of the upper limb arterial system using fluid–structure interaction simulations, incorporating variable material properties and complex boundary conditions. Then, we develop an analytical brachial-aortic transfer function based on novel solutions for compliant vessels. The accuracy of this transfer function is successfully validated against numerical simulation results, which effectively reproduce pulse wave propagation and amplification, with key hemodynamic parameters falling within the range of clinical measurements. Further analysis of the transfer function reveals that cBP is a linear combination of bBP and aortic flow rate in the frequency domain, with the coefficients determined by vessel geometry, material properties, and boundary conditions. Additionally, bBP primarily contributes to the steady component of cBP, while the aortic flow rate is responsible for the pulsatile component. Furthermore, local sensitivity analysis indicates that the lumen radius is the most influential parameter in accurately estimating cBP. Although not directly applicable clinically, the proposed transfer function enhances understanding of the underlying physics—highlighting the importance of aortic flow and lumen radius—and can guide the development of more practical transfer functions.