Wearable device could predict disease flare-ups
A Husker-developed device may help patients with chronic conditions stay ahead of disease flare-ups, which is key to improved outcomes and reduced mortality.
Nebraska engineer Eric Markvicka is developing a wearable monitoring device to detect exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other conditions like asthma, heart disease and inflammatory disorders. The device contains sensors measuring multiple physiological parameters, including heart rate, respiratory information and gait data. This multimodal approach provides insight into a wearer’s holistic health and enables earlier, faster and more accurate identification of disease exacerbations.
The current gold standard for COPD – patient-reported questionnaires – are burdensome and take days to establish a diagnosis.
“The goal is to create a wearable device for these patients that can be used as a medical diagnostic to detect acute exacerbations over the timespan of hours, as compared to days,” said Markvicka, Robert F. and Myrna L. Krohn Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering.
The framework can be applied to other chronic conditions characterized by flare-ups requiring timely treatment, he said.
The goal is to create a wearable device for these patients that can be used as a medical diagnostic to detect acute exacerbations over the timespan of hours, as compared to days.”
Eric Markvicka
By capturing multiple types of data, the device is a major advance over existing wearables – most of which measure a single category. The technology also provides continuous, time-stamped data for each parameter, enabling researchers to explore the links between them and how variations in couplings may indicate health changes.
Markvicka’s device, which would adhesively attach to the chest, is soft, low-profile and conforms to the body – a major improvement on bulky medical wearables.
Eventually, the technology could enable clinicians to monitor patients remotely, a major benefit for rural residents. The device will also help everyday people monitor their overall health and attune to early warning signs of illness.
“One of our big goals is to provide a complementary diagnostic tool that clinicians can use to support their decision-making and improve whole-person health,” Markvicka said. “Our human physiology undergoes subtle changes much earlier than clinically recognizable symptoms, providing a window for early intervention.”
A National Science Foundation-National Institutes of Health interagency initiative funds the research. Markvicka is collaborating with Stephen Rennard and Ran Dai from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Kate Cooper from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Jenna Yentes from Texas A&M University.