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Smartwatches like the Apple Watch could detect COVID-19 infections a week before the wearer feels sick or tests positive for the novel coronavirus, two medical studies suggest.
Because these devices can identify subtle changes in heart rate that could indicate early infection, they could spot asymptomatic individuals, who make up a significant proportion of COVID-19 cases.
Researchers at Mount Sinai Health System in New York and Stanford University in California have found that smartwatches could provide some type of early warning system for users during the global pandemic.
If a smartwatch or other device identified certain physiological indicators, for example, the wearer could decide to avoid contact with others or request a COVID-19 test. Early diagnosis probably leads to better patient outcomes.
To date, COVID-19 has killed nearly 2 million people worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Apple Watch May Provide Early Warning Of COVID-19
CBS News writes about the twin studies which offer encouraging news for owners of Apple watches and similar devices:
“Researchers from Mount Sinai have discovered that the Apple Watch can detect subtle changes in an individual’s heart rate, which can signal that an individual has the coronavirus, up to seven days before they break. feels sick or an infection is detected by tests…. Specifically, the study analyzed a metric called heart rate variability – the variation over time between each heartbeat – which is also a measure of how a person’s immune system is functioning.
People with COVID-19 would have exhibited lower heart rate variability (less time variation between heartbeats) than those without COVID-19. Greater heart rate variability shows that a person’s nervous system is “active, adaptable, and more resilient to stress.”
The study was based on nearly 300 healthcare workers from Mount Sinai who wore Apple watches between late April and September 2020. Apple did not participate in the study.
A second study
Meanwhile, the unrelated Stanford University study found that 81% of coronavirus patients saw a change in their resting heart rate up to 9.5 days before COVID symptoms appeared. -19. A very high heart rate could therefore help predict the onset of symptoms.
As it stands, few people wear smartwatches to slow the spread of the coronavirus. There are also other non-COVID reasons why a heart rate may be elevated or for variation in heart rate variability. Yet this is some pretty fascinating research that could form the basis of useful tools for the future.
Apple Watch Series 6 also measures blood oxygen levels
Likewise, the Apple Watch Series 6 blood oxygen sensor could detect “silent hypoxia” that may precede the onset of severe symptoms of COVID-19. “The ability to detect this silent form of hypoxia in COVID-19 patients before they start to experience shortness of breath is critical to preventing pneumonia from progressing to dangerous levels,” according to a 2020 study.
This research has indicated that even common smartphone technology can identify declining blood oxygen levels if used correctly. An “always-on” smartwatch that measures oxygen saturation in the background should theoretically perform even better.
All of this medical research should remind us that the smartwatches we increasingly wear on our wrists can serve as potentially powerful diagnostic tools.
Source: CBS News
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