A new study by researchers at Mount Sinai found that an Apple Watch can effectively predict a positive COVID-19 diagnosis up to a week before current PCR-based nasal smear tests (via TechCrunch)
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Published in the peer review Journal of Medical Internet Research, the “Warrior Watch Study” involved several hundred Mount Sinai health professionals using an Apple Watch and a dedicated iPhone application for monitoring and collecting personal health data.
All participants were also asked to complete a daily survey for several months to provide direct feedback on potential coronavirus symptoms and other factors, including stress.
Data collection took place from April to September, and the researchers’ main focus point was heart rate variability (HRV), a key indicator of pressure on the nervous system. This data point was combined with reported symptoms associated with the disease, such as fever, pain, dry cough and loss of taste and smell.
The Warrior Watch study was not only able to predict infections up to a week before the tests provided confirmed diagnoses, but also revealed that the participants’ HRV patterns quickly normalized after diagnosis, returning to normal about one to two weeks after their diagnosis. positive tests.
The researchers hope that the results will help to anticipate results and remotely isolate individuals from others who are at risk, without the need to perform a physical examination or administer a smear test, preventing potential spread before someone is highly contagious.
According TechCrunch, the study will be expanded in the future to look at what other wearables can reveal about the impact of COVID-19 on the health of healthcare professionals, including how things like sleep and physical activity may be related to the disease.
In a related ongoing research, Apple is currently partnering with researchers from the Seattle Flu Study and professors from the University of Washington’s School of Medicine to explore how changes in blood oxygen and heart rate can be early signs of flu onset. and COVID- 19
Previous independent Apple Watch studies have shown that smartwatch cardiac sensors may be able to detect early signs of diabetes and provide early signs of atrial fibrillation.