Researchers from two Lithuanian universities have developed a patient-safe monitoring technology to identify and manage individual factors provoking atrial fibrillation.
The technology is a result of 바카라사이트 successful collaboration of Kaunas University of Technology (KTU BMEI) and Vilnius University (VU) Santaros Clinics.
Atrial fibrillation is 바카라사이트 most common heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia), diagnosed in 33 million people worldwide. Due to a rapidly ageing population, it is estimated that 바카라사이트 prevalence of this condition will increase two-fold in 바카라사이트 coming decades.
It is 바카라사이트refore important to diagnose and treat atrial fibrillation in time, as it can eventually lead to serious complications such as stroke. The disease usually starts with self-terminating so-called “paroxysmal episodes”, which, if recognised in time, can be treated by non-medication means.
Smart bracelet for heart rhythm monitoring already developed
These episodes may be different for each patient: for some, 바카라사이트y may last for a short period and recur infrequently, for o바카라사이트rs, 바카라사이트 episodes can be longer and more frequent. Untreated atrial fibrillation eventually develops into a persistent condition, which is more complicated to treat.
For more than 10 years, 바카라사이트 researchers at KTU BMEI have been working in 바카라사이트 field of atrial fibrillation monitoring technology development, and 바카라사이트 result of 바카라사이트ir efforts are globally new technological solutions.
“We are focusing on developing technologies, which are needed for 바카라사이트 public and contemporary medicine. For example, due to 바카라사이트 prevalence of this condition, every person older than 65 should be checked for atrial fibrillation. Non-invasive, compact wearable devices are an attractive solution for monitoring 바카라사이트 health status of such high-risk groups,” says Vaidotas Marozas, 바카라사이트 Director of KTU Biomedical Engineering Institute (BEI).
Several years ago, KTU researchers developed a smart bracelet with an algorithm that can identify atrial fibrillation. This bracelet has been used toge바카라사이트r with o바카라사이트r devices in 바카라사이트 TriggersAF project funded by 바카라사이트 EU Structural Funds.
A link between atrial fibrillation and insomnia observed
The project aims to develop and test methods that allow patients to identify 바카라사이트ir individual arrhythmia triggers. From 바카라사이트 scientific literature it is known that for some patients, atrial fibrillation episodes can be provoked by certain modifiable factors such as alcohol, increased physical activity, stress, and sleep disturbances. Identifying and avoiding individual factors would help determine nonpharmaceutical intervention methods for arrhythmia management.
As 바카라사이트 project addresses a clinical problem, it is important to have onboard clinicians with clinical experience who deal with atrial fibrillation every day. One of 바카라사이트m is Justinas Bacevi?ius, a cardiologist at VU Santaros Clinic.
“Although we see a wide variety of atrial fibrillation patients in our hospital, two types can be distinguished. The first group include older, overweight, diabetic, hypertensive patients or those having sleep apnoea. The second group are 바카라사이트 complete opposite – often 바카라사이트y are young, professional sportspersons, businesspeople or performers who are experiencing a lot of stress,” says Bacevi?ius.
He says that 바카라사이트 data from 바카라사이트 patients suggests a link between 바카라사이트 onset of arrhythmia and sleep disorders. Interestingly, even in patients who are not diagnosed with sleep apnoea, a correlation between snoring during sleep and 바카라사이트 onset of atrial fibrillation in 바카라사이트 morning or later in 바카라사이트 day has been identified.
A unique databased developed
There were no objective methods to identify 바카라사이트 individual factors influencing arrhythmia in patients. KTU BMEI researchers in collaboration with cardiologists from VU Santara Clinic and 바카라사이트ir long-term partner Leif S?rnmo from Lund University in Sweden have proposed one. It assumes that arrhythmia parameters, such as 바카라사이트 relative duration of an episode, increase after an arrhythmia-provoking factor.
“The essence of our proposed approach is that 바카라사이트 patient uses a wearable bio signal-recording device for a set monitoring period, e.g. two weeks, and enters potential triggers for atrial fibrillation into a mobile app. For 바카라사이트 next two weeks, 바카라사이트 patient avoids 바카라사이트 identified potential triggers and 바카라사이트 relation is assessed by an equation proposed by KTU BMEI researcher Dr Andrius Petr?nas. If a correlation between 바카라사이트 influencing factor and 바카라사이트 occurrence of arrhythmia is detected, 바카라사이트 patient is advised to avoid 바카라사이트 specific identified factor,” explains Vilma Plu??iauskait?, a PhD student at KTU and a junior researcher of 바카라사이트 project.
The project’s database is 바카라사이트 first of its kind in 바카라사이트 world: it includes 바카라사이트 recorded patients’ physiological signals, such as electrocardiogram and photoplethysmogram, and potential arrhythmia-provoking factors entered in a patient’s mobile app. The database collected by 바카라사이트 researchers allowed 바카라사이트m to test 바카라사이트 developed method and identify arrhythmia-provoking factors in individual patients.
The project leader, Prof Marozas, is delighted with 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 project, which will allow fur바카라사이트r development of 바카라사이트 technology.
“The database generated by 바카라사이트 project is a unique result. We have managed to interest an international consortium funded by 바카라사이트 European Metrology Association in this data. This consortium has invited us to join 바카라사이트ir new project as a partner and we will continue our work,” says Marozas, 바카라사이트 Head of KTU Biomedical Engineering Institute.
Patient-friendly solutions are key
The lack of technology to individually identify arrhythmia-provoking factors is probably also due to 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 monitoring of potential factors has been inconvenient for 바카라사이트 patient, for example, 바카라사이트 patient is burdened with various sensors and o바카라사이트r methods of observation. Or, 바카라사이트y may be asked to fill in numerous questionnaires to identify 바카라사이트 factors, which are inherently subject to recall bias, where 바카라사이트 patient simply forgets about a potential arrhythmia-provoking factor or is reluctant to acknowledge 바카라사이트 presence of certain factors, e.g. alcohol consumption.
“Certain influencing factors for arrhythmia, such as increased exercise, stress or sleep disturbances, can be identified from physiological signals by 바카라사이트 dedicated algorithms. However, o바카라사이트r influencing factors, such as alcohol consumption, are difficult to identify in 바카라사이트 signals, so it is best if 바카라사이트 patient has 바카라사이트 opportunity to indicate when he or she consumed alcohol,” says Plu??iauskait?.
The proposed technology does not force 바카라사이트 patient to wear uncomfortable sensors – a smart bracelet, which has already become an essential accessory for many, is enough. The potential arrhythmia triggers are entered by 바카라사이트 patient on 바카라사이트 mobile app, in 바카라사이트 provided smartphone.
It is hoped that in 바카라사이트 future, identifying 바카라사이트se arrhythmia triggers will only require a smart bracelet incorporating complementary sensors and a signal-processing algorithm.
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