Abstract
BACKGROUND: Infectious agents such as SARS-CoV-2 require strategies to contain outbreaks, particularly in hospitals where the spread of infection is most likely. Biometric monitoring of heart rate, temperature, oxygen saturations and sleep might provide important early warning signs for SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to determine whether a smart medical device (E4 wristband) and a pulse oximeter used to continuously measure heart rate, skin temperature and oxygen saturation would predict the onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: A single-centre, prospective observational cohort of 30 healthcare workers (HCWs) working in areas at high risk for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 were enrolled. HCWs were tested for SARS-CoV-2 using RT-qPCR of daily self-administered swabs for 30 days. Each participant was asked to wear an E4 wristband to measure changes in their heart rate, skin temperature and sleep throughout the study. RESULTS: Nine (30%) HCWs (median (range) age of 39 (27-57) years) tested positive for COVID-19. No significant differences were found in the pre-infection and post-infection variations in the heart rate (p=0.31) or skin temperature (p=0.44). Seven of the nine positive subjects reported symptoms at some point during the study period: unusual fatigue (40%), headache (33%) and runny nose (22%) were the most frequent. Analysis of daily trends in observations demonstrated significant fluctuations in biometric parameters. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that wearable technology might be useful in documenting signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection in exposed HCWs. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04363489.