Smartwatch Feature Can Track COVID-19 Progression

As researchers examine new ways to track the progression of COVID-19, a study from the University of Michigan described how a smartwatch feature that uses heart rate data could track the symptoms of the deadly disease.

For the study, researchers examined data from Fitbits worn by 43 medical interns and 72 undergraduate students, all of whom had a positive test for COVID-19.

Researchers conducted a multisite cohort study using Fitbit data before and after symptoms began.

Their research found that heart activity was indicative of how COVID-19 progressed within the body.

Specifically, they found that heart rate increase per step increased after COVID-19 symptoms began, and heart rate per step was much higher among participants who reported having a cough.

Not only that, but uncertainty in the circadian component of the heart rate rhythm could also indicate early signs of the disease.

Finally, daily basal heart rate increased right before symptom onset, and heart rate was more correlated around symptom onset, likely due to stress.

“All of these components are based on different physiological systems. This really gives us additional information about disease progression and understanding how disease impacts these different physiological systems over time,” said Caleb Mayer, a doctoral student in mathematics, in a press release.

The researchers hope to be able to enhance the accuracy of wearable devices further, increasing the ability to predict and monitor COVID-19.

“This work can help us more meaningfully follow populations in future COVID-19 waves. The study also demonstrates following cohorts with mobile technology and robust data sharing can facilitate unanticipated and valuable discoveries,” said Srijan Sen, MD, professor of psychiatry and director of the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg and Family Depression Center at the University of Michigan, in the press release.

But despite the insights gleaned through this study, researchers acknowledged a few limitations. These include that the study did not consider influenza-like illnesses and that they did not note factors such as age, gender, and BMI. The status of COVID-19 as a whole and if cases were surging was also not considered.

Prior research has also indicated that wearable devices can help predict COVID-19.

For example, a study from earlier in the pandemic described a Fitbit service that could detect the disease even before symptoms arose. The system considered heart rate, skin temperature, and blood oxygen saturation for its predictive analytics approach.

Another study from May 2020 described an mHealth wearables project conducted by the US Department of Defense that sought to monitor those who tested positive for COVID-19 and research the effects of various treatments.

And it's not just the disease itself — wearables were also used to help manage the mental health of healthcare workers.  

Mount Sinai Health System in New York City used a wearables device to monitor stress levels among healthcare workers during the pandemic.