Wearable biosenors with artificial intelligence-based analytics can provide accurate early detection of impending rehospitalization similar to implanted devices, according to data from a new study backed by the US Dept. of Veterans Affairs.
The trial explored the ability of wearable sensors, developed by VitalConnect, supported by AI-driven analytics, developed by PhysIQ, to effectively predict heart failure events.
Results from the trial were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 67th annual scientific session and expo.
A total of 100 subjects were enrolled across four US VA hospitals, with each provided with a 90-day supply of sensors that connected via smartphones to record and upload physiological data including heart rate, heart rate variability, accerlerometry, respiratory rate and temperature. A total 33 individuals in the trial were readmitted for heart failure, and a total of 86% of individuals in the trial completed the study procedures.
The systems ability to predict HF readmission were significantly superior to random chance, researchers reported, with a specificity of 85.9% and a sensitivity of 84.2%, according to the study.
“The results of this study suggest a highly favorable relationship between sensitivity and specificity of event detection, as well as a sufficient warning lead time for clinicians tasked with managing patients at risk for admission for heart failure exacerbation. Furthermore, the study demonstrated that patients were highly compliant with wearing the biosensors throughout the monitoring period, making this a promising solution for a patient population with significant unmet clinical needs,” trial principal investigator Dr. Josef Stehlik said in a press release.
PhysIQ said that it is now evaluating how its PhysIQ solution can aid clinicians in managing post-acute care patients in multiple environments, including nursing home health and home self care, with patients in each case provided wearable biosensors in a similar fashion.
“Heart failure continues to be a major challenge in healthcare today. Sadly, there has been far too little improvement over the past 15 years with respect to our ability to proactively manage acute deterioration. As a result, healthcare has struggled to adequately improve patient quality of life and reduce the exorbitant costs associated with this chronic disease. We at physIQ are very encouraged by the results of this study as they show tremendous promise in an approach that supports a proactive care delivery model – one where clinicians can see personalized changes early enough in the deterioration process to take action that can potentially head off an acute or even catastrophic clinical event. This could be an enormous benefit to patients, providers, health systems, and payers as they embrace value-based care,” PhysIQ chief medical officer Dr. Stephen Ondra said in a press release.