Reliability of heart rate and respiration rate measurements with a wireless accelerometer in postbariatric recovery

Recognition of early signs of deterioration in postoperative course could be improved by continuous monitoring of vital parameters. Wearable sensors could enable this by wireless transmission of vital signs. A novel accelerometer-based device, called Healthdot, has been designed to be worn on the skin to measure the two key vital parameters respiration rate (RespR) and heart rate (HeartR). The goal of this study is to assess the reliability of heart rate and respiration rate measured by the Healthdot in comparison to the gold standard, the bedside patient monitor, during the postoperative period in bariatric patients. Data were collected in a consecutive group of 30 patients who agreed to wear the device after their primary bariatric procedure. Directly after surgery, a Healthdot was attached on the patients’ left lower rib. Vital signs measured by the accelerometer based Healthdot were compared to vital signs collected with the gold standard patient monitor for the period that the patient stayed at the post-anesthesia care unit. Over all patients, a total of 22 hours of vital signs obtained by the Healthdot were recorded simultaneously with the bedside patient monitor data. 87.5% of the data met the pre-defined bias of 5 beats per minute for HeartR and 92.3% of the data met the pre-defined bias of 5 respirations per minute for RespR. The Healthdot can be used to accurately derive heart rate and respiration rate in postbariatric patients. Wireless continuous monitoring of key vital signs has the potential to contribute to earlier recognition of complications in postoperative patients. Future studies should focus on the ability to detect patient deterioration in low-care environments and at home after discharge from the hospital.