0
0
New study highlights the potential of wearable technology in remotely monitoring chronic conditions like IBD.
In a groundbreaking study, researchers from Mount Sinai have shown that wearable devices such as Apple Watches, Fitbits, and Oura Rings can be used to detect, differentiate, and predict flare-ups in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study, published in Gastroenterology on January 16, 2025, represents a major leap forward in disease monitoring and management for patients suffering from chronic conditions.
Inflammatory bowel disease, which includes conditions like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, affects over 2.4 million people in the United States alone. Traditionally, monitoring IBD requires patients to engage directly with healthcare providers through office visits, blood and stool tests, or more invasive procedures like colonoscopies. These methods can be inconvenient, sometimes uncomfortable, and only offer a snapshot of disease activity at one point in time.
However, this new study, led by Dr. Robert Hirten, Clinical Director of the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Health and Associate Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, shows that wearable devices can track vital physiological markers such as heart rate, heart rate variability (a measure of nervous system function), oxygenation levels, and daily physical activity. These metrics were found to change significantly when inflammation or symptoms associated with IBD were present, and can even predict flare-ups up to seven weeks in advance, before they manifest with noticeable symptoms.
“We believe this could revolutionize how we monitor chronic diseases like IBD,” Dr. Hirten stated. “By using widely available, non-invasive wearable devices, we can offer continuous and real-time monitoring that would normally require patients to interact with their healthcare providers. Our study shows these devices can provide valuable data even before flare-ups occur.”
The study included over 300 participants across 36 U.S. states, who wore the devices while also completing daily symptom surveys and providing blood and stool samples for inflammation analysis. The researchers found that specific physiological patterns, including changes in heart rate variability and activity levels, were highly correlated with the presence of active inflammation in the intestines, even in the absence of outward symptoms.
These findings not only point to the potential of wearable technology in monitoring IBD but also open the door to similar approaches for other chronic inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers are working to refine predictive algorithms using artificial intelligence (AI), which would tailor flare-up predictions to the individual, enabling more personalized care.
“This technology could change the way we manage chronic diseases, enabling earlier intervention and helping patients better manage their conditions,” said Dr. Hirten. “Our hope is that wearable devices can eventually help patients live better, more informed lives, with fewer disruptions to their daily routines.”
The team at Mount Sinai is continuing to explore this innovative approach and hopes that their findings will have a lasting impact on the treatment of chronic diseases. With wearable devices becoming more ubiquitous and advanced, the future of disease management may look significantly different than it does today.
For more information, please refer to the study published in Gastroenterology by Robert P. Hirten et al, “Physiological Data Collected from Wearable Devices Identify and Predict Inflammatory Bowel Disease Flares” (DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2024.12.024).
