In the future, wearable devices such as wristbands and smart ECG shirts could provide a comfortable alternative for measuring heart rate in children with congenital heart defects or heart rhythm disorders. This is evident from new results from the Wearables study. These so-called wearables provide reliable measurements, especially during rest and sleep.

Sports bands and smart shirts as heart rate monitors

More and more people are using wearables to monitor their heart rate while exercising or sleeping. These devices are more user-friendly than traditional hospital equipment such as the Holter ECG. However, little is known about how well this technology works in children with heart problems.

The Wearables study, funded by our partner Stichting Hartekind, examined two wearable heart rate monitors: the Corsano Cardiowatch (a sports band) and the Hexoskin shirt (a smart shirt that measures the heart’s electrical activity).

Comparison with the gold standard

The researchers wanted to know whether the measurements from these wearables corresponded with those of the Holter ECG, the current standard for heart rate monitoring. Therefore, 31 children with a heart defect also wore the sports band and the smart shirt during their regular Holter checkups.

The results have been published in a scientific journal. Approximately 86% of the heart rate measurements from the wearables matched those of the Holter ECG. This indicates reasonable reliability, although the accuracy varied throughout the day.

Reliable at rest, less so during exercise

The wearables proved particularly reliable during rest and sleep. During exercise, such as playing or sports, the heart rate measurement was less accurate. This is likely due to signal disruptions caused by body movement.

The type of heart defect or arrhythmia did not affect the accuracy of the measurements. Moreover, using the smart shirt, pediatric cardiologists were able to accurately assess whether an abnormal heart rhythm was present in many cases. Children also indicated that they found the wearable devices more comfortable than the traditional Holter monitor.

Promising technology for the future

The study shows that wearables could be a valuable addition to monitoring children with heart problems in the future. They make heart rate monitoring more comfortable and easier, and are already reliable in many situations.

Before this technology can be widely implemented in healthcare, its accuracy during movement still needs to be improved. The researchers want to investigate this further, with the goal of enabling children with heart conditions to play and participate in sports without worry, while their heart rate is monitored comfortably.

Read more about the study here.