Study: Apple Watch Predicts Sickle Cell Disease Patients' Pain Levels

Apple Watch Predicts Pain Levels of Sickle Cell Diseases Patients, Study Says (Image credit- Tech Times) Researchers found that the Apple Watch could forecast how much pain sickle cell patients would experience. Throughout July and September 2021, the Duke University Day Hospital's admitted patients were the subject of the study's data collection. When a person's red blood cells have an odd structure, they are said to have Sickle Cell Disease or SCD. They frequently resemble a sickle, which makes it more challenging for blood to move through the body. This increases the risk of chronic anemia, stroke, and vas occlusive crisis for persons with SCD. According to the reports, researchers from Duke University's Day Hospital conducted studies to better understand the pain experience and discover trends and techniques to forecast discomfort caused by VOCs. The watch's ability to estimate pain scores from VOC using machine learning techniques was another goal of this study. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="4998"] Image credit- iMore[/caption] The hospital approached patients who had been admitted and handed them an Apple Watch Series 3 that they had to wear the entire time they were in the facility. Researchers obtained vital signs and pain scores from electronic medical records, integrated the data, and then used machine learning algorithms to make predictions. According to the information gathered by the Apple Watch, which includes heart rate, heart rate variability (calculated), and calories, it can be useful for patients and doctors because it is a cutting-edge and practical way for its affordable price. According to MyHealthApply, addressing VOCs with this could help doctors and people with SCD. "The good performance of the model in all criteria demonstrates the practicality and the potential to use data acquired from a noninvasive device, the Apple Watch, to forecast the pain levels during VOCs," the researchers wrote. Based on an average study participant wearing the watch for 2 hours, and 17 minutes, they gathered 15,683 data points. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1500"] Image credit- Tech Times[/caption] In the past, several medical professionals held the opinion that patients should start taking medication before their pain becomes unbearable. But, as per reports, doctors would feel considerably more comfortable providing patients enough medication based on the group they are experiencing thanks to the Apple Watch and its forecast of pain levels for SCD patients. It was recently claimed that an Apple Watch that monitored a man's respiratory rate and blood oxygen levels had just identified a fatal illness in him. Ken Counihan's watch detected trends or fluctuations and notified him of his higher breathers. Also read: American Weather’s Iconic Computerized Channel Shuts Down After 23Y He decided to visit the doctor, where he was given bronchitis medication and again informed by his watch that his blood oxygen level was falling. He was found to have blood clots in both of his lungs. The following morning, he might not have awakened, but thanks to his Apple Watch, he was informed in advance.