mHealth Wearables Can Track Physiological Responses to COVID-19 Vaccine
Scripps researchers found that wearable sensors could help track physiological and immune responses after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, including heart rate, sleep, and activity levels.
Wearable sensors, like smartwatches and fitness bands, can provide information regarding physiological and immune responses to the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a study published in npj Digital Medicine.
Researchers examined data on sleep, behavior, activity, and heart rate from more than 5,600 individuals. They gathered the data from a larger project called Digital Engagement and Tracking for Early Control and Treatment (DETECT), launched in March 2020. The project allows participants to share physiological and behavioral data gathered through a fitness band or smartwatch and manually enter symptoms, test results, and vaccination status.
The data indicated that 71 percent of people after the first dose and 76 percent of individuals after the second dose noticed an increased resting heart rate within the two days of COVID-19 vaccination.
Researchers also found that following the first dose, women were more likely to experience changes in heart rate. Following the second dose, those under the age of 40 experienced changes in heart rate.
Research also indicated that activity and sleep levels were not highly affected following the first dose of the vaccine. However, after the second dose, researchers observed a decrease in activity levels and an increase in sleep levels.
Researchers explained the study helped advance the use of wearable sensors to track the progress of a vaccine.
“Investigating the physiological signals in the period around vaccination can help us better understand the variability of vaccine response between people, as well as the changes from an individual norm due to vaccination,” said Giorgio Quer, PhD, director of Artificial Intelligence at the Scripps Research Translational Institute, in a press release.
Any change in resting heart rate following a vaccine is critical, and using a smartwatch or fitness band to detect these changes is convenient and accessible, the study noted.
“As these individual changes are due to a person’s initial immune response to the vaccine, they can potentially help guide future vaccine development to optimize their efficacy and safety, and allow for more precise, individualized vaccine regimens,” said Quer.
The use of wearable devices to track the progression of diseases and physiological responses is increasing, especially with regard to COVID-19.
A recent study from the University of Michigan described a smartwatch feature that could track the progression and status of COVID-19. Using Fitbits, researchers noticed that heart rate per step increased following the beginning of COVID-19 symptoms. Daily basal heart rate also increased, which correlated with stress levels.
Another study focused on the use of wearables to identify COVID-19 treatments. Conducted by the US Department of Defense, the project sought to use mHealth wearables to identify any physiological changes in those with COVID-19 or those at high risk of exposure to the disease.