Feasibility of Using Resting Heart Rate and Step Counts From Patient-Held Sensors During Clinical Assessment of Medical Emergencies (FUSE): Protocol for Prospective Observational Study in European Hospitals
BackgroundAbnormalities of vital signs are quantified by comparison with normal ranges, which are those observed in resting healthy populations. It might be more appropriate to compare the vital sign values of an individual in distress with their own usual values recorded whe...
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JMIR Publications
2025-04-01
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| Series: | JMIR Research Protocols |
| Online Access: | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e55975 |
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| author | Jack Barrington Christian Subbe John Kellett Erika Frischknecht Christensen Mikkel Brabrand Prabath Nanayakkara Jelmer Alsma |
| author_facet | Jack Barrington Christian Subbe John Kellett Erika Frischknecht Christensen Mikkel Brabrand Prabath Nanayakkara Jelmer Alsma |
| author_sort | Jack Barrington |
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BackgroundAbnormalities of vital signs are quantified by comparison with normal ranges, which are those observed in resting healthy populations. It might be more appropriate to compare the vital sign values of an individual in distress with their own usual values recorded when they were stable and well. Sensors from smartwatches or smartphones might make this possible at scale, but the proportion of patients using them is not known.
ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the feasibility of using heart rate and mobility data from patients’ own wearable sensors as part of clinical assessments at the time of presentation to hospitals with medical emergencies, and to quantify the difference between heart rate and the change in daily steps taken by the patient on admission to acute care compared with the previously recorded values at home.
MethodsThis is an international, multicenter observational study using the flashmob research design. The study will recruit patients aged 18 years and older who present to emergency departments, acute medical departments, or ambulatory emergency care with an acute medical complaint. Main end points of the study include the proportion of patients assessed for an acute complaint who use wearable devices to record vital signs. The study will describe the population that uses devices that collect vital signs in terms of sex, age group, digital literacy, and the severity of illness on presentation (as measured by a standard set of vital signs and frailty). Trends in heart rate and step counts measured in the month before presentation to acute care services will be reported according to discharge or admission status. Data will be collected during a pilot phase and during a single week in centers across Europe.
ResultsThe study has been registered and passed the required approvals in the Netherlands Medical Ethics Committee (MEC-2022-0795) and the United Kingdom Integrated Research Application System (IRAS 321129). Based on the results of a pilot study performed at a single site in the United Kingdom, a flashmob study has been concluded in hospitals throughout Europe in May 2024 and reported in 2025.
ConclusionsWith the increasing availability of consumer held devices able to record medically relevant information this study will provide information about the availability of these data for clinical use in a number of European settings.
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/55975 |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e06bc834d6ad49d88475621aafab0a6f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1929-0748 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
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| series | JMIR Research Protocols |
| spelling | doaj-art-e06bc834d6ad49d88475621aafab0a6f2025-08-20T03:53:33ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Research Protocols1929-07482025-04-0114e5597510.2196/55975Feasibility of Using Resting Heart Rate and Step Counts From Patient-Held Sensors During Clinical Assessment of Medical Emergencies (FUSE): Protocol for Prospective Observational Study in European HospitalsJack Barringtonhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9453-9458Christian Subbehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3110-8888John Kelletthttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4741-9242Erika Frischknecht Christensenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3673-9694Mikkel Brabrandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3340-8251Prabath Nanayakkarahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1555-3682Jelmer Alsmahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2808-1514 BackgroundAbnormalities of vital signs are quantified by comparison with normal ranges, which are those observed in resting healthy populations. It might be more appropriate to compare the vital sign values of an individual in distress with their own usual values recorded when they were stable and well. Sensors from smartwatches or smartphones might make this possible at scale, but the proportion of patients using them is not known. ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the feasibility of using heart rate and mobility data from patients’ own wearable sensors as part of clinical assessments at the time of presentation to hospitals with medical emergencies, and to quantify the difference between heart rate and the change in daily steps taken by the patient on admission to acute care compared with the previously recorded values at home. MethodsThis is an international, multicenter observational study using the flashmob research design. The study will recruit patients aged 18 years and older who present to emergency departments, acute medical departments, or ambulatory emergency care with an acute medical complaint. Main end points of the study include the proportion of patients assessed for an acute complaint who use wearable devices to record vital signs. The study will describe the population that uses devices that collect vital signs in terms of sex, age group, digital literacy, and the severity of illness on presentation (as measured by a standard set of vital signs and frailty). Trends in heart rate and step counts measured in the month before presentation to acute care services will be reported according to discharge or admission status. Data will be collected during a pilot phase and during a single week in centers across Europe. ResultsThe study has been registered and passed the required approvals in the Netherlands Medical Ethics Committee (MEC-2022-0795) and the United Kingdom Integrated Research Application System (IRAS 321129). Based on the results of a pilot study performed at a single site in the United Kingdom, a flashmob study has been concluded in hospitals throughout Europe in May 2024 and reported in 2025. ConclusionsWith the increasing availability of consumer held devices able to record medically relevant information this study will provide information about the availability of these data for clinical use in a number of European settings. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/55975https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e55975 |
| spellingShingle | Jack Barrington Christian Subbe John Kellett Erika Frischknecht Christensen Mikkel Brabrand Prabath Nanayakkara Jelmer Alsma Feasibility of Using Resting Heart Rate and Step Counts From Patient-Held Sensors During Clinical Assessment of Medical Emergencies (FUSE): Protocol for Prospective Observational Study in European Hospitals JMIR Research Protocols |
| title | Feasibility of Using Resting Heart Rate and Step Counts From Patient-Held Sensors During Clinical Assessment of Medical Emergencies (FUSE): Protocol for Prospective Observational Study in European Hospitals |
| title_full | Feasibility of Using Resting Heart Rate and Step Counts From Patient-Held Sensors During Clinical Assessment of Medical Emergencies (FUSE): Protocol for Prospective Observational Study in European Hospitals |
| title_fullStr | Feasibility of Using Resting Heart Rate and Step Counts From Patient-Held Sensors During Clinical Assessment of Medical Emergencies (FUSE): Protocol for Prospective Observational Study in European Hospitals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Feasibility of Using Resting Heart Rate and Step Counts From Patient-Held Sensors During Clinical Assessment of Medical Emergencies (FUSE): Protocol for Prospective Observational Study in European Hospitals |
| title_short | Feasibility of Using Resting Heart Rate and Step Counts From Patient-Held Sensors During Clinical Assessment of Medical Emergencies (FUSE): Protocol for Prospective Observational Study in European Hospitals |
| title_sort | feasibility of using resting heart rate and step counts from patient held sensors during clinical assessment of medical emergencies fuse protocol for prospective observational study in european hospitals |
| url | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e55975 |
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