Wearable Trackers Provide Clinically Useful Information for Patients With AFib, Heart Failure

Monitoring heart rate and physical activity using a wearable device has clinical value for comparing response to treatments for atrial fibrillation (AFib) and heart failure, according to a study published in Nature Medicine.

The wearable devices, comprising a wrist band and connected smartphone, collected a vast amount of data on the response to 2 different medications prescribed as part of the RATE-AF clinical trial, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Researchers used artificial intelligence to assess more than 140 million data points for heart rate in 53 individuals over the duration of 20 weeks. They found that digoxin and beta blockers had a similar effect on heart rate, even after accounting for differences in physical activity. This finding was in contrast to previous studies that assessed only the short-term impact of digoxin.

A neural network that accounted for missing information was developed to avoid an over-optimistic view of the wearable data stream. Using this approach, researchers found that the wearable devices were equivalent to standard tests often used in hospitals and clinical trials, which require staff time and resources. The average age of study participants was 76 years, highlighting possible future value regardless of age or experience with technology.

“People across the world are increasingly using wearable devices in their daily lives to help monitor their activity and health status,” said Professor Dipak Kotecha, of the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Birmingham and the lead author of the study, via a press release. “This study shows the potential to use this new technology to assess the response to treatment and make a positive contribution to the routine care of patients.”

Prof. Kotecha added that “heart conditions such as [AFib] and heart failure are expected to double in prevalence over the next few decades, leading to a large burden on patients, as well as substantial health care cost. This study is an exciting showcase for how artificial intelligence can support new ways to help treat patients better.”