Marcus Dörr1, Vivien Nohturfft2, Noé Brasier3, Emil Bosshard3, Aleksandar Djurdjevic3, Stefan Gross4, Christina J Raichle3, Mattias Rhinisperger3, Raphael Stöckli3, Jens Eckstein5. 1. Department of Internal Medicine B, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. Electronic address: mdoerr@uni-greifswald.de. 2. Department of Internal Medicine B, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. 3. Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) Office, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland. 4. Department of Internal Medicine B, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany. 5. Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) Office, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The WATCH AF (SmartWATCHes for Detection of Atrial Fibrillation) trial compared the diagnostic accuracy to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) by a smartwatch-based algorithm using photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals with cardiologists' diagnosis by electrocardiography (ECG). BACKGROUND: Timely detection of AF is crucial for stroke prevention. METHODS: In this prospective, 2-center, case-control trial, a PPG pulse wave recording using a commercially available smartwatch was obtained along with Internet-enabled mobile ECG in 672 hospitalized subjects. PPG recordings were analyzed by a novel automated algorithm. Cardiologists' diagnoses were available for 650 subjects, although 142 (21.8%) datasets were not suitable for PPG analysis, among them 101 (15.1%) that were also not interpretable by the automated Internet-enabled mobile ECG algorithm, resulting in a sample size of 508 subjects (mean age 76.4 years, 225 women, 237 with AF) for the main analyses. RESULTS: For the PPG algorithm, we found a sensitivity of 93.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 89.8% to 96.4%), a specificity of 98.2% (95% CI: 95.8% to 99.4%), and 96.1% accuracy (95% CI: 94.0% to 97.5%) to detect AF. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the WATCH AF trial suggest that detection of AF using a commercially available smartwatch is in principle feasible, with very high diagnostic accuracy. Applicability of the tested algorithm is currently limited by a high dropout rate as a result of insufficient signal quality. Thus, achieving sufficient signal quality remains challenging, but real-time signal quality checks are expected to improve signal quality. Whether smartwatches may be useful complementary tools for convenient long-term AF screening in selected at-risk patients must be evaluated in larger population-based samples. (SmartWATCHes for Detection of Atrial Fibrillation [WATCH AF]:; NCT02956343).
OBJECTIVES: The WATCH AF (SmartWATCHes for Detection of Atrial Fibrillation) trial compared the diagnostic accuracy to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) by a smartwatch-based algorithm using photoplethysmographic (PPG) signals with cardiologists' diagnosis by electrocardiography (ECG). BACKGROUND: Timely detection of AF is crucial for stroke prevention. METHODS: In this prospective, 2-center, case-control trial, a PPG pulse wave recording using a commercially available smartwatch was obtained along with Internet-enabled mobile ECG in 672 hospitalized subjects. PPG recordings were analyzed by a novel automated algorithm. Cardiologists' diagnoses were available for 650 subjects, although 142 (21.8%) datasets were not suitable for PPG analysis, among them 101 (15.1%) that were also not interpretable by the automated Internet-enabled mobile ECG algorithm, resulting in a sample size of 508 subjects (mean age 76.4 years, 225 women, 237 with AF) for the main analyses. RESULTS: For the PPG algorithm, we found a sensitivity of 93.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 89.8% to 96.4%), a specificity of 98.2% (95% CI: 95.8% to 99.4%), and 96.1% accuracy (95% CI: 94.0% to 97.5%) to detect AF. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the WATCH AF trial suggest that detection of AF using a commercially available smartwatch is in principle feasible, with very high diagnostic accuracy. Applicability of the tested algorithm is currently limited by a high dropout rate as a result of insufficient signal quality. Thus, achieving sufficient signal quality remains challenging, but real-time signal quality checks are expected to improve signal quality. Whether smartwatches may be useful complementary tools for convenient long-term AF screening in selected at-risk patients must be evaluated in larger population-based samples. (SmartWATCHes for Detection of Atrial Fibrillation [WATCH AF]:; NCT02956343).
Authors: Niraj Varma; Iwona Cygankiewicz; Mintu P Turakhia; Hein Heidbuchel; Yu-Feng Hu; Lin Yee Chen; Jean-Philippe Couderc; Edmond M Cronin; Jerry D Estep; Lars Grieten; Deirdre A Lane; Reena Mehra; Alex Page; Rod Passman; Jonathan P Piccini; Ewa Piotrowicz; Ryszard Piotrowicz; Pyotr G Platonov; Antonio Luiz Ribeiro; Robert E Rich; Andrea M Russo; David Slotwiner; Jonathan S Steinberg; Emma Svennberg Journal: Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol Date: 2021-02-12
Authors: Niraj Varma; Iwona Cygankiewicz; Mintu P Turakhia; Hein Heidbuchel; Yufeng Hu; Lin Yee Chen; Jean-Philippe Couderc; Edmond M Cronin; Jerry D Estep; Lars Grieten; Deirdre A Lane; Reena Mehra; Alex Page; Rod Passman; Jonathan P Piccini; Ewa Piotrowicz; Ryszard Piotrowicz; Pyotr G Platonov; Antonio Luiz Ribeiro; Robert E Rich; Andrea M Russo; David Slotwiner; Jonathan S Steinberg; Emma Svennberg Journal: Cardiovasc Digit Health J Date: 2021-01-29
Authors: Peter H Charlton; Panicos A Kyriaco; Jonathan Mant; Vaidotas Marozas; Phil Chowienczyk; Jordi Alastruey Journal: Proc IEEE Inst Electr Electron Eng Date: 2022-03-11 Impact factor: 10.961