Key points from article :
Results of a massive, 455,000-person study point to Fitbit’s ability to detect atrial fibrillation (AFib).
Fitbit received FDA clearance for its AFib feature, which uses a built-in ECG sensor to detect potential arrhythmias.
Researchers carried out a large, virtual clinical trial using Fitbit to detect AFib compared to an ECG patch.
Roughly 1% of all participants got an irregular heart rhythm notification.
These people were instructed to use an ECG patch at home for a week; 32% were confirmed to have atrial fibrillation.
But it faces challenges with implementation, as many people failed to follow-up.
“We’re eager to find a way to engage participants in remote clinical research in the future,” - Steven Lubitz, study’s lead author.
The study had no control group, and no report on false negatives, or people who got no alert, but did have AFib.
Apple devices showed a potential interest to detect other types of arrhythmias.
Study by MGH presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions.
