A new Scientific Study has concluded that the Apple Watch 6 is a reliable way to obtain heart rate and SpO2 in patients with lung diseases
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In a new scientific paper they note that Lung diseases have high mortality and morbidity, with an important impact on quality of life. Hypoxemic patients are advised to use oxygen therapy to prolong their survival, but high oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels can also have negative effects. Pulse oximeters are the most common way to assess oxygen levels and guide medical treatment.
The study presented below aims to assess whether wearable devices can provide precise SpO2 measurements when compared to commercial pulse oximeters. This is a cross-section study with 100 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and interstitial lung disease from an outpatient pneumology clinic.
SpO2 and heart rate data were collected with an Apple Watch Series 6 (Apple) and compared to two commercial pulse oximeters. The Bland–Altman method and interclass correlation coefficient were used to compare their values. We observed strong positive correlations between the Apple Watch device and commercial oximeters when evaluating heart rate measurements (r = 0.995, p < 0.001) and oximetry measurements (r = 0.81, p < 0.001).
There was no statistical difference in the evaluation of skin color, wrist circumference, presence of wrist hair, and enamel nail for SpO2 and heart rate measurements in Apple Watch or commercial oximeter devices (p > 0.05). Apple Watch 6 is a reliable way to obtain heart rate and SpO2 in patients with lung diseases in a controlled environment.
The study observed strong positive correlations between the Apple Watch device and commercial oximeters when evaluating heart rate measurements (r = 0.995, p < 0.001) and oximetry measurements (r = 0.81, p < 0.001) (Fig. 1). The two-way random-effects model for interclass correlation also shows good correlation for SpO2 (ICC = 0.896, p < 0.001) and heart rate (ICC = 0.963, p < 0.001).
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Below is a Scribd document covering the full study, courtesy of Patently Apple.
Scientific Report - Comparison of SpO2 & Heart Rate Values on Apple Watch by Jack Purcher on Scribd
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